Finland has passed laws lifting a ban on nuclear weapons as it faces increased security concerns from Russia. The new bill allows the import, transport, supply and possession of nuclear arms in Finland for national defence.
The government cited an 'unpredictable security environment' and added that, as of now, Finland will not host any nuclear weapons. A previous bill, the 1987 Nuclear Energy Act, prohibited any nuclear weapons on Finnish soil.
Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen said the 1987 act posed an awkward situation for Finland, a NATO member since April 2023. NATO is focused on nuclear deterrence, with the collective defence model working in part because of each country agreeing to help one another, even in nuclear capacities.
Now, Finland could in theory host nuclear weapons for NATO, giving the alliance a closer edge on Russia, which has upped aggressive tactics in the years since it invaded Ukraine. Just last week, Russia began construction on a new military base eerily close to Finland's eastern border for the first time since the USSR collapsed.
New aerial photos show a dozen new barracks under construction after work began in late 2025 to clear forest nearby. The base could accommodate between 4,000 and 6,000 personnel, according to military expert and former Finnish intelligence officer Marko Eklund.
The new base and the installation of troops there could pose a security issue for Finland, which shares an 830-mile border with Russia. Metro ventured to the country's Russian border last summer after the Finnish government closed the eastern side following attempts by Russia to send an influx of 'refugees' into the country.
Joel Linnainmäki, a research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, said at the time that there had been little to report since the border closed, but added that the Finnish government is still wary of Russian movement nearby. In Kamenka, around 35 miles from Finnish territory, some 130 installations capable of housing 2,000 troops were set up last year.
Finland has erected a 10-foot fence, topped with barbed wire, to line a large portion of its border with Russia and stop illegal crossings.
