European Nato must become stronger as the alliance shifts more responsibility for defence from the United States to Europe, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said during the Nato summit in Ankara, where France also confirmed its participation in Nato’s Forward Land Forces in Finland.
Nato leaders met in Turkey on 7–8 July for a summit focused on defence spending, deterrence, support for Ukraine and the future balance of responsibilities inside the alliance. Finland was represented by Stubb, Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen (Ulkoministeri) and Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen (Puolustusministeri).
Finland links European Nato to defence spending
Stubb said Europe should focus on building what he called “Nato 3.0”, with more military capability on the European side of the alliance.
“We should focus on what is essential, namely building Nato 3.0, shifting the burden from the United States to Europe, and increasing defence spending and defence capabilities,” Stubb said.
The statement reflects a broader shift inside Nato. European allies and Canada are increasing military expenditure after years of pressure from Washington and amid continued concern over Russia’s war against Ukraine. According to Nato estimates released before the summit, European allies and Canada are expected to spend an average of 2.53 percent of GDP on defence in 2026, up from 2.33 percent the previous year.
Finland’s defence spending is projected at 2.65 percent of GDP, placing it above the European and Canadian average. Nato has also introduced a longer-term commitment for allies to move towards 3.5 percent of GDP for core defence needs and up to 1.5 percent for broader defence and security-related investments.
France joins Nato’s Forward Land Forces in Finland
A key announcement for Finland came with France’s decision to join Nato’s Forward Land Forces in Finland. The battlegroup was established in June 2026 as Nato’s ninth multinational Forward Land Forces formation and is designed to strengthen deterrence and defence in the High North.
France will contribute ground forces to rotations in Finland, including a battle unit integrated into the battlegroup. It will also provide temporary training for critical enablers, depending on operational needs.
The battlegroup is led by Sweden as framework country. Nato lists Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom among the contributing allies to the Finnish formation.
For Finland, the French contribution reinforces the military presence on Nato’s north-eastern flank. It also gives concrete meaning to Stubb’s call for a stronger European role inside the alliance, as European countries take on more responsibility for deterrence close to Russia’s border.
Ukraine remains central to Finland’s Nato message
Ukraine was another major focus of the Ankara summit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged allies to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences and repeated Kyiv’s request for Nato membership.
Stubb said Nato members must continue supporting Ukraine while increasing pressure on Russia. He argued that the most effective pressure on Moscow still comes from Ukraine’s ability to resist Russia militarily and politically.
“The greatest pressure on Russia comes from Ukraine,” Stubb said.
Finland has consistently framed support for Ukraine as part of its own security policy. Since joining Nato in 2023, Helsinki has placed the Russian threat at the centre of its defence planning, while also supporting stronger European coordination on military procurement and industrial capacity.
Finland signs new defence cooperation agreements
During the summit, Häkkänen signed a series of defence cooperation agreements linked to Nato’s industrial and capability programmes.
The initiatives include joint procurement plans for Saab GlobalEye airborne early warning aircraft, Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton reconnaissance drones, air-to-air refuelling capabilities and strategic transport aircraft. Finland also joined projects on air defence, space technologies, critical defence materials and Arctic mobility.
The Finnish Ministry of Defence said the agreements are intended to strengthen Nato’s deterrence and defence, while improving Finland’s access to shared capabilities that would be difficult or costly to develop alone.
The procurement plans also show how Nato’s northern members are deepening cooperation in surveillance, mobility and air defence. These areas are central to security in the Baltic Sea region, the Arctic and the High North.
Finland rejects Trump’s comments on Greenland
The summit also brought renewed attention to Greenland after US President Donald Trump repeated his view that the Danish territory should come under US control.
Stubb rejected the idea and said Greenland’s affairs are solely in Denmark’s hands. Valtonen also reaffirmed Finland’s support for Denmark’s territorial integrity, saying such statements were unacceptable.
The issue has direct relevance for Nordic security. Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and plays a strategic role in the Arctic and North Atlantic. For Finland, which has emphasised respect for borders and sovereignty since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the message was also consistent with its broader foreign policy line.
A stronger European pillar inside Nato
Stubb’s call for a stronger European Nato does not signal a break with the transatlantic alliance. Instead, it points to a European pillar with greater military capacity, higher spending and more responsibility for regional deterrence.
For Finland, this has immediate consequences. The French role in the Finnish battlegroup, new multinational procurement projects and higher defence spending all strengthen Helsinki’s position inside Nato’s northern flank.
The Ankara summit showed that Europe’s defence debate is moving from spending targets to concrete capabilities. In Finland’s case, that means more allies on its territory, more joint procurement and a clearer role in shaping Nato’s security posture in the High North.
