Chiefs of the Defence Staffs of Finland and Estonia met in Estonia

Chief of the Finnish Defence Command, Lieutenant General Vesa Virtanen, and Chief of Staff of the Joint Headquarters of the Estonian Defence Forces, Major General Vahur Karus, met in Estonia on 9–10 July 2025.

The Chiefs of Staffs of Finland and Estonia meet annually. This year’s meeting included discussions on the security environment and on bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation of the two countries. Support for Ukraine was also on the agenda.

According to Lieutenant General Vesa Virtanen, defence cooperation between the Finnish and Estonian Defence Forces is active across all services.

“We had fruitful discussions and agreed on the next concrete steps. The Gulf of Finland is a key area for both our countries, and its defence requires deep cooperation. Together we are stronger. I thank my colleague, Major General Karus, for the open dialogue and the advancement of our cooperation.”

“The Estonian and allied troops serving in Estonia made a strong impression with their positive attitude and professionalism. It was enlightening to learn more about the activities of Estonian and allied forces in our neighbouring region,” Lieutenant General Virtanen says.

The Chief of Staff of the Estonian Joint Headquarters, Major General Vahur Karus, says that “military defence cooperation between Estonia and Finland is important for both nations and supports each country’s national defence.”

“Finland’s membership in the alliance enables seamless development of cooperation based on our shared needs. I greatly value the friendship between me and my Finnish counterpart.”

In addition to discussions at the Estonian Joint Headquarters, the generals visited Ämäri Air Base and were introduced to Estonia’s defence system, new weapons systems, and NATO’s air surveillance arrangements.

The purpose of the bilateral cooperation between Finland and Estonia is to strengthen defence and enhance allied readiness to respond to potential security threats in the region.