Finland parliament approves law lifting ban on nuclear weapons imports and storage

Finland’s parliament has approved legislation lifting the ban on the import, transport and storage of nuclear weapons on Finnish territory.

According to Bloomberg, the measure passed by a vote of 125 to 61. The legislative change allows the import, transport and storage of nuclear weapons in cases deemed necessary to ensure national defence.

Finnish authorities have said they do not plan to deploy nuclear weapons on the country’s territory during peacetime.

Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen said the legislation strengthens Finland’s defence capabilities and enables the country to make full use of NATO’s nuclear deterrence mechanisms to protect Finland.

Government officials said the decision was taken in response to the deteriorating security environment in Europe.

The legal changes are being viewed as another step in Finland’s integration into NATO structures following its accession to the alliance in 2023.

The country is also assessing the possibility of joining French President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative to extend France’s nuclear deterrence arrangements to European allies. Finland is expected to make a decision on the matter in the autumn.

Macron unveiled the initiative in March, saying it was aimed at strengthening European security by leveraging France’s nuclear capabilities.

According to Macron, France’s allies would be able to participate in shared nuclear deterrence arrangements. The French president also announced plans to modernise and expand the country’s nuclear forces.

France possesses the world’s fourth-largest nuclear arsenal after Russia, the US and China. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), France has approximately 290 nuclear warheads.

Moscow has previously said that any potential deployment of nuclear weapons on Finnish territory would be taken into account in Russia’s military planning.