Estonia and Finland’s Leadership on Innovation and Resilience in Focus During NATO PA Visit

A joint delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Sub-Committee on Resilience and Civil Security and Sub-Committee on Technology Trends and Security, chaired by Oğuz Üçüncü (Türkiye) and Jarno Limnell (Finland), concluded a visit to Estonia and Finland. 

The visit underscored both countries’ strategic role in strengthening the deterrence and defence posture on the Alliance’s Northern and Eastern Flanks, as well as the growing importance of comprehensive approaches to security and resilience. Discussions with Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur and Finland’s Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen highlighted their frontline role in responding to sustained Russian military and hybrid pressure, alongside their strong and continued political and military support for Ukraine.
 
In an increasingly contested Arctic and Baltic security environment, the visit reinforced the need for Allies to strengthen resilience, protect critical infrastructure, and adopt a whole-of-society approach to security as core elements of deterrence and defence. Discussions at the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats emphasised the importance of coordinated responses to hybrid threats. Visits to the Estonian Defence League and Finland’s Upinniemi Naval Base illustrated how high readiness is sustained through the combination of capable armed forces and robust civilian mobilisation.
 
The visit also highlighted Estonia and Finland as leaders in defence technological innovation and cyber defence. In Estonia, advanced digital governance and targeted support mechanisms enable rapid adoption of new technologies. In Finland, engagements with Nokia, ICEYE and the VTT Technical Research Centre demonstrated how rapid adoption cycles, combined with strong public-private cooperation, contribute to the decisive advantage NATO derives from technology and innovation. Observation of the Locked Shields exercise, hosted by the Tallinn-based NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, further highlighted the importance of collective cyber resilience and operational coordination across the Alliance.
 

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Photos ©Erik Peinar / Riigikogu © Egert Kamenik / CCDCOE