On March 2-4, 2020 the Delegation of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine made a working visit to the Republic of Finland. The Ukrainian delegation was headed by Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alina Frolova.

In the framework of the working visit, the Delegation of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine met with the Director of the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE) Teija Tiilikainen, the Assistant Secretary General of the Security Committee under the Ministry of Defense of Finland Christian Perheentupa, the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Security Policy of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland Kai Sauer and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Finland Jukka Juusti. 

During the visit of the Ukrainian delegation to Finland, military-political consultations were also held.

Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine met with the Director of the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats

On March 2, as part of the working visit of the Delegation of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to the Republic of Finland, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alina Frolova met with the Director of the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE) Teija Tiilikainen. 

The parties discussed prospective areas of cooperation, in particular the initiative to involve experts of the Hybrid CoE in developing a relevant national regulatory framework in the field of response to hybrid threats.

Alina Frolova expressed words of gratitude to the leadership of the Hybrid CoE for a readiness to develop cooperation and noted that Ukraine is interested in establishing cooperation with the Hybrid CoE in order to obtain information, familiarize with the results of experts' work, as well as to develop tools for combating hybrid threats.

Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine held a meeting with Assistant Secretary General of the Security Committee under the Finnish Defense Ministry 

On March 3, during the working visit of the delegation of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to the Republic of Finland, the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alina Frolova held talks with the Assistant Secretary General of the Security Committee under the Ministry of Defense of Finland Christian Perheentupa.

During the meeting, the parties discussed common national security threats, including hybrid threats, as well as shared experience in practical counteraction.

The Finnish side highlighted the experience of development of a comprehensive national security system in Finland in the context of effectively combating hybrid threats, in particular in cyber and information domains.

— Security Committee is responsible for the development of strategic documents in the national security field; the competence of the Committee extends to the entire range of crisis response, including information and hybrid threats. Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Finland is looking forward to expanding its cooperation and sharing its experience in dealing with hybrid threats with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, — noted Christian Perheentupa.

The Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine stressed the importance of developing cooperation between the defense agencies. Alina Frolova expressed determination in support for Finland’s foreign and security efforts aimed at strengthening the country’s national security. Finland’s experience in training of public administration personnel is crucial and deserves special attention in the security and defense sphere.

"Ukraine is interested in the experience of Finland as a NATO enhanced opportunity partner", - Alina Frolova 

Alina Frolova, the Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine, and Kai Sauer, the Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Security Policy, at the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, discussed the security situation in Europe, military and non-military security threats, including hybrid ones, and experience in counteracting national security threats, in particular in the area of combating misinformation at the meeting in Helsinki on March 3.

Alina Frolova highlighted the interest in further closer examination of Finland’s experience as a NATO Enhanced Opportunity Partner.

Representatives of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine informed the Finnish side about the situation in Donbas and in the Black Sea-Azov region.

The deputy defense minister also thanked the Finnish colleagues for their support and stressed the importance of developing dialogue and cooperation.

“The Ukrainian side is interested in sharing experience in the field of counteracting hybrid threats and establishing cooperation between the government agencies,” Frolova said.

The defense agencies of Ukraine and Finland held military-political consultations in Helsinki

On March 4, 2020 Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alina Frolova held military and political consultations with Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Finland Jukka Juusti within the framework of the working visit of the delegation of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to Finland.

During the consultations, the parties discussed a plan for bilateral cooperation for 2020. Frolova noted that Ukraine was interested in sharing experience and developing such areas of cooperation as creation of military reserve, implementation of territorial defense measures, development of naval capabilities, including with the participation of Finland’s defense complex. She also stressed the importance of organizing a visit of the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Finland to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian side also informed about the situation in eastern Ukraine and in the Azov-Black Sea region.

Source: press center of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine