Finland quietly extends defense cooperation with Israel through 2034 despite Gaza backlash
A newly disclosed 10-year memorandum covers military research, development and procurement, giving Israel’s defense industry a long-term relationship with a NATO member despite growing political opposition in Finland.
Finland has quietly signed a 10-year memorandum with Israel covering defense research, development and procurement, extending a military relationship that has become increasingly important to Israel’s defense industry despite growing political opposition to cooperation with Jerusalem in Finland.
The memorandum, first reported by Finnish broadcaster Yle, runs until 2034 and replaces an earlier arrangement that was renewed in five-year periods. Finland proposed extending the agreement in early 2024, as the previous memorandum was approaching expiration. Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen approved the new arrangement.
The Finnish Ministry of Defense did not publicly announce the agreement.
For Israel’s defense industry, the significance of the memorandum goes beyond any single weapons purchase. It creates a long-term framework for cooperation with a NATO member in research, development and procurement, while Israeli and Finnish companies are already working together on military systems.
The relationship has a major anchor in David’s Sling. Shortly before the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023, the government of former Prime Minister Sanna Marin approved the purchase of the Israeli air-defense system for more than €300 million. Finland became the first foreign customer for David’s Sling and is expected to bring the system into service next year.
According to Häkkänen, the new memorandum is largely intended to support existing air-defense and procurement projects. “It is not a dramatic new policy,” he told Yle, arguing that Finland has defense cooperation documents with about 40 countries and that Israel has long been one of them.
But the framework gives the relationship a significantly longer horizon.
Finland’s importance to Israel’s defense industry is partly a function of its membership in NATO, which it joined in 2023.
Finnish Defense Forces commander Janne Jaakkola told Yle that Finland seeks defense systems based on military capability, cost and suitability, and said David’s Sling had clearly performed best in the procurement process.
The system’s deployment in Finland will therefore provide Rafael, its Israeli developer, with a European customer operating inside NATO.
The relationship is not limited to missile defense.
Finnish defense company Patria has worked with several Israeli defense manufacturers. It has integrated Rafael’s Trophy active protection system into its AMV XP 8x8 armored vehicle and has equipped armored vehicles with Israeli Spike anti-tank missiles. Patria also previously worked with Israeli company Plasan Sasa on the Havoc armored vehicle, which was offered to the U.S. Marine Corps.
Yle reported that 23 projects involving the Finnish military and Israeli defense companies are currently underway, although their details have not been publicly disclosed.
A Finnish-Israeli defense seminar held in Helsinki in May also brought together dozens of companies from the two countries. It was not the first such event: a similar seminar was held in Helsinki in 2022.
The memorandum establishes a joint coordination group that is expected to meet at least once a year.
The disclosure of the memorandum has created a political dispute over whether Finland’s defense relationship with Israel is deepening while its public policy is moving in the opposite direction.
Green League chair Sofia Virta called the government’s Israel policy a “historic shame” and accused it of strengthening cooperation with Israel while rejecting demands for greater pressure over Gaza.
“When we demanded pressure on Israel, the government tightened cooperation. When we demanded that dependencies on Israel be reduced, the government deepened them,” Virta said.
The Left Alliance said its lawmakers would submit a parliamentary question seeking clarification over who knew about the agreement and what the government intends to do regarding arms trade with Israel. Party leader Minja Koskela also questioned whether Orpo and Valtonen had been fully informed about the 2024 renewal.
