“Issues created by the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the completion of 2 years”, the path of Europe and the creation of an EU defense arm were at the center of the meeting of the national defense ministers of Finland and Greece Andi Hakanen and Nikos Dendias in Helsinki.

In his statement immediately after his meeting with his Finnish counterpart, Mr. Dendias underlined that “Greece and Finland have many similarities. Is medium-sized countries, but both are located next to large neighbors who have revisionist ambitions. Both countries are also on the external borders of the European Union. Both countries are countries that who believe in International Law and who believe in International Law of the Seahaving a large number of islands’.

At the same time he mentioned that today’s visit is his first as Minister of National Defense and the third as a minister of the Mitsotakis government. As it has been announced, the Minister of National Defense will also meet with the chairman of the defense committee of the parliament Yuka Kopra.

Also, Mr. Dendias informed his Finnish counterpart about the situation in the eastern Mediterranean and northern and sub-Saharan Africa, while Greece’s intention to copy the Finnish reserve model was discussed, and in this context, Mr. Dendias will have a detailed discussion with officers later today unit of the Finnish army.

Further, the Minister of National Defense will visit it Hybrid Threat Center, in which Greek officers also serve. He will also meet with executives from the Finnish defense industry ahead of the presentation in Parliament – in a few days – of the defense innovation bill “that is, the effort to create a defense ecosystem and we want Finnish companies – some of which are world class – to participate and them in this effort”, as he said.