An American intercontinental ballistic missile: Finland is preparing to deploy nuclear weapons.Image: Imago
The Finnish parliament is set to overturn a law that previously banned the import of nuclear weapons. What this means for the role of Russia’s neighbor in NATO.
April 26, 2026, 12:41 p.mApril 26, 2026, 12:41 p.m
Thomas Wanhoff / t-online
The Finnish government is paving the way for the possible deployment of nuclear weapons. The NATO country’s cabinet introduced a bill in parliament on Wednesday that would allow the import, transport and possession of nuclear weapons in Finland as part of national defense and collective NATO defense.
Until now, the Finnish Atomic Energy and Criminal Code prevented such activities on Finnish soil, including for military purposes. The planned change is intended to bring Finland legally on the same level as most other NATO members. This would make it possible for American nuclear weapons to be brought to the country in northern Europe in the event of a crisis. Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer-long border with Russia.
In a statement on the government’s website, Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen justified the move with the security policy situation: The change in the law should “strengthen deterrence and defense and increase the threshold for the use of military force against Finland and the alliance.” It is “necessary for the security of Finland”.
The project is part of a larger reform package that is intended to deepen Finland’s integration into NATO – for both bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation. However, the Finnish government does not want to develop its own nuclear weapons. They remain committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it said in a statement. (fwa)