Finland to Host NATO’s Land Command in Northern Europe

The city of Mikkeli in Finland will host NATO’s land command for Northern Europe, which will operate under the NATO Joint Command in Norfolk, Virginia. According to Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen, the command is expected to begin operations next year, as reported by Yle.

Finland will play a leading role in the new command, with the Commander of the Finnish Army appointed as its head. This decision is linked to the existing Finnish Army headquarters in Mikkeli.

Häkkänen believes that establishing the command in Mikkeli will provide better synergy between Finnish and NATO land forces, allowing for effective planning of operations in the northern regions of the alliance. The minister emphasized that the national defense of Finland and NATO’s defense must be able to cooperate seamlessly in both day-to-day and emergency situations..

The personnel of the new command, which will consist of several dozen individuals in peacetime, will be drawn from various NATO countries. Finland has allocated 8.5 million euros for the new command’s needs in the upcoming year, with the potential for similar annual funding thereafter. Part of the expenses will be covered by NATO’s collective budget.

This decision is part of NATO’s broader strategy, as the alliance has already established four multinational battlegroups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland in response to potential threats from Russia to the Baltic states.