Finland Lifts Long-Standing Ban on Nuclear Weapons Amid NATO Integration

Finland's parliament voted on Wednesday to lift its decades-old ban on nuclear weapons, a significant shift in the country's defense policy as it deepens integration with NATO. The bill, approved by a vote of 125 in favor to 61 against, permits the import, transport, supply, and possession of nuclear weapons on Finnish territory when required for military defense. The legislation now awaits approval from the president.

Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen called the move "essential" for Finland's security, emphasizing that the country has no plans to permanently station nuclear arms on its soil. "With this proposal, we strengthen Finland's defence and enable the full use of NATO's nuclear deterrent as protection for Finland," Häkkänen posted on X ahead of the vote. In a follow-up statement, he described the vote as a "historic reform" that required years of discussions with allies and nuclear powers.

The decision repeals a national prohibition on the import, production, possession, and detonation of nuclear explosives from Finland's Nuclear Energy Act, dating back to the 1980s. It also amends the criminal code to include exceptions to the ban on nuclear weapons. Finland, which ended decades of military non-alignment to join NATO in April 2023 in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, is now aligning its laws with the alliance's deterrence policy.

The proposal sparked debate in Finland, with opposition parties criticizing the country's pivot away from its long-standing anti-nuclear position. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said earlier in June that Finland is interested in a French-led nuclear deterrence scheme to bolster European security, though no decision has been made. In March, French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a program under which France, the European Union's only nuclear-armed country, would use its atomic stockpile to enhance continental security.