According to a report in Finland, the Finnish government secretly signed an agreement extending defense cooperation with Israel until 2034. The deal was concluded in early 2024, amid the Gaza war, through an exchange of letters between defense ministries, without public announcement or notification by the Finnish foreign ministry.
A follow-up report from Finnish media has revealed new details about the secret defense cooperation agreement between Finland and Israel, adding precision to earlier reports. According to the new report, the 10-year deal was finalized in early 2024, during the Gaza war, through an exchange of letters between the defense ministries. The agreement was not publicly announced and the Finnish foreign ministry was not involved, the report states.
The Zioneer first reported on the secret deal earlier Saturday at 17:56 Jerusalem, citing Finnish broadcaster Yle. Those initial reports described a 10-year memorandum of understanding extending defense cooperation, with an emphasis on air defense, research, development, and procurement. Following the disclosure, the Finnish defense minister defended the agreement while opposition figures condemned it as a "disgrace." At 22:05 Jerusalem, The Zioneer added that the agreement continues a framework established in 2013 and noted a rare visit to Israel last week by the Finnish Chief of Staff to meet with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, the agreement was signed amid the Gaza war and despite domestic criticism, reflecting Helsinki's commitment to deepening security ties with Israel. The new details confirm that the renewal was proposed by Helsinki in 2024 and concluded quietly without public announcement.
The full text of the agreement has not been published, and the report has not been officially confirmed by either government. Further details may emerge as the story develops.
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