The defence partnership between Finland and France is deepening. Our cooperation took a significant step forward this summer when France announced its contribution of troops to NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Finland. Today, we took a new step forward as Finland joined the French forward deterrence initiative. The initiative is first and foremost about strengthening European security. It reinforces Europe’s responsibility for its own defence and helps prevent escalation. The French initiative does not replace or overlap with NATO’s nuclear deterrence. Finland’s foremost priority is to act as part of NATO and the European Union. Finland does not intend to station nuclear weapons on its territory in peacetime.(Alexander Stubb)