The Finnish government has officially proposed legislative amendments that would lift the long-standing ban on the import, transportation, and storage of nuclear weapons on Finnish territory in certain cases.
According to Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen, speaking at a press conference on March 5, amendments to the Nuclear Energy Act of 1987 and the Criminal Code will allow the deployment of nuclear weapons in Finland if they are related to national defense, NATO collective defense, or defense cooperation within the alliance.
“The current legislation does not meet Finland’s needs as a NATO member. The amendment is necessary so that our country can fully participate in military defense within the alliance and take advantage of NATO’s deterrence and collective defense policies,” Häkkänen emphasized.
The Nuclear Energy Act, in force since 1987, completely prohibits the import, production, storage, and detonation of nuclear explosive devices on Finnish territory, even in wartime. The proposed amendments retain the ban in peacetime and in situations unrelated to defense but lift it for scenarios related to national and allied security needs.
The Finnish Ministry of Defense has already submitted the draft amendments for public comment and comment. The deadline for comment is April 2, 2026. After that, the bill will be submitted to Parliament, where the ruling center-right coalition holds a majority, making adoption highly likely.
The authorities emphasize that Finland has no plans to become a nuclear power and does not intend to permanently deploy nuclear weapons on its territory during peacetime. This is solely a matter of transit and temporary presence within NATO operations in the event of a crisis or war.
The final decision will be made with Parliament. If the amendments are adopted, they could come into force in the coming months.