Finland signals willingness to discuss France's pan-European nuclear shield

Finland's foreign minister Elina Valtonen told one outlet that Helsinki is prepared to engage in talks on France's plan to extend a nuclear deterrent umbrella throughout Europe, while emphasizing that such a move would not replace the United States' nuclear role. She highlighted that European nations are heavily investing in conventional defence capabilities and that Finland is willing to consider how French nuclear forces could contribute to long-term deterrence.

Valtonen stressed that Finland remains a non-nuclear state and would not host nuclear warheads, despite a recent legal amendment allowing their entry. The proposal aligns with France's "forward deterrence" strategy, which also contemplates temporary deployment of nuclear-capable aircraft to allied bases. Germany and Norway have expressed interest in similar arrangements, and Valtonen warned that Russia, not Finland, is the primary source of escalating tension in Europe.