Finnish parliamentary group calls for defense spending hike in face of Russian threat

A parliamentary working group in Finland on Tuesday proposed nearly doubling the country's defense spending by the end of the decade, citing the long-term security threat posed by neighboring Russia and changes in the broader security environment.

According to a report submitted to Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen, Finland's defense expenditures should rise from €7.7 billion ($8.9 billion) this year to more than €14 billion ($16.3 billion) by 2029 and remain at around €14 billion-€15 billion annually until at least 2036, public broadcaster YLE news reported.

The report identified Russia as a long-term and difficult-to-predict threat to both Finland and NATO, arguing that maintaining national defense capabilities will require sustained investment across multiple government terms.

At 1,340 kilometers (832 miles), Finland has the longest border of any NATO country with Russia. In 1939-1940, over the course of three months, the Soviet Union fought and won a war against Finland.

The report also pointed to changes in warfare, rapid technological developments, and shifting transatlantic burden-sharing arrangements as factors reshaping Finland's security environment.

"The final report of the parliamentary working group shows that we have a broad agreement on key defense policies," Hakkanen said in a statement.

"It will enable long-term cooperation, spanning across government terms, to strengthen Finland's defense and security," he added.

Left Alliance: US commitment to NATO no longer a given

The report said the resources needed to maintain and develop Finland's defense capabilities would exceed NATO's 3.5% benchmark for core defense spending.

"We will fix the deficiencies in our defense system and strengthen Finland's defense with determination to counter the long-term threat posed by Russia," Hakkanen said.

The proposal received broad support among parliamentary parties, but the opposition Left Alliance submitted a dissenting opinion.

While agreeing that Russia remains a security threat, the party argued that the report failed to adequately address uncertainty surrounding US foreign policy and Washington's long-term commitment to NATO.

"The US commitment to NATO, for example, is no longer a given," Left Alliance parliamentary group leader Aino-Kaisa Pekonen was quoted as saying by Finnish media.

Pekonen also called for a broader parliamentary and public debate on how to finance the proposed increase in defense spending, arguing that the costs would significantly exceed NATO's spending target.