Diplomat Jüri Luik, who has also held several prominent political positions in the last 30 years, is being considered for president. Our conversation did not linger on the topic long, however, as Luik said that to the best of his knowledge, corresponding political consultations are ongoing and not public. HeContinue Reading
The staff of Germany’s10th Armored Division will take place in the “Schneller Degen” (Dagger Strike) military exercise in Pabrade Training Area in Lithuania’s district of Svencionys for the first time. Major General Ruprecht von Butler, commander of Germany’s 10th Division, will announce the start of the exercise on Friday. ItContinue Reading
The flag day commemorates the birthday of national hero Mannerheim, who led the White forces during the Finnish Civil War and the FDF during World War II. Due to the pandemic, the Flag Day of the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) is again being observed on a subdued note on Friday,Continue Reading
The Ministry of Defense has decided to cut costs in its administrative area over the next four years and will be laying off 270 people. Even though investments will not be cut directly, development of the armed forces will be impacted nonetheless. The Ministry of Defense that finds itself underContinue Reading
While recent coalitions have agreed that defense spending would not be touched even during difficult times, Postimees’ information suggests that the ministry’s initial proposal was that of a universal cut. A top official standing close to state budget deliberations told the paper that the Ministry of Finance has presented theContinue Reading
A “culture of silence” within the Finnish Defence Forces is preventing abuses by supervisors from being reported and effectively tackled, according to a new report by Yle’s investigative journalism unit MOT. “If you make any criticism, it may harm your career,” Ville Viita, chair of the Finnish Officers’ Union, toldContinue Reading
He does not drink coffee in the morning, just tea. “Diseases are the result of not having enough water in one’s system.” Gabtšenko eats a single sandwich – it makes little sense to eat a heartier breakfast as there is food on Toompea. “No one knows where these meals areContinue Reading
The government of Sweden has revealed plans to boost military spending by up to 40% over the next four years amid rising tensions in Europe. Defense minister Peter Hultqvist announced an increase in the defense budget of 27 billion Swedish kronor ($3 billion) from 2021 to 2025. If approved byContinue Reading
The Baltic states cannot imagine their security without the United States’ involvement, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda says. “All Baltic states are very clear that the United States’ involvement in our collective defense system is a critical factor and we can hardly imagine our 100 percent security without the United States’Continue Reading
The Nordic countries are pushing to deepen trans-Atlantic defense collaboration with the United States in the High North amid fears that the Trump administration’s mixed messages on NATO could lead to a diminished presence by the alliance in Northern Europe. Concerns over NATO’s capacity to counter potential threats by RussiaContinue Reading
Sweden
1,100,040
Denmark
317,700
Lithuania
283,016
Latvia
138,899
Norway
137,853
Estonia
133,685
Finland
107,321
Iceland
8,051