General Daniel Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau visited Finland 12-15 October 2023. The visit was hosted by the Chief of the Defence Command, Lieutenant General Vesa Virtanen.
Topics discussed during the visit included further deepening of the bilateral defence cooperation between the Finnish Defence Forces and the United States National Guard and Finland’s NATO membership. General Hokanson’s visit also included meetings with the Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces, General Kivinen, and with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Esa Pulkkinen. During the visit General Hokanson observed the training of conscripts in Karelia Brigade and visited the Southeast Finland Border Guard District.
According to Lieutenant General Vesa Virtanen, Finland’s NATO membership does not decrease the importance and need for bilateral defence cooperation.
- We have already conducted bilateral defence cooperation with the United States for a long time and in many different ways. We last met with General Hokanson in February and I was honoured to host his visit again. The National Guard is an important partner for us, with significant capabilities and forces, and we are glad to train with them and to deepen our cooperation. NATO membership and bilateral cooperation are not mutually exclusive. Bilateral defence supports NATO’s collective defence, enables capability development for both parties and prevents crises.
According to General Daniel Hokanson, the Chief of the United States National Guard Bureau, the continuation of defense cooperation enables, among other things, the sharing of expertise. He also congratulated Finland on its NATO membership.
- My trip to Finland highlighted its rich history, military capabilities and strategic significance, and solidified the many reasons our relationship with this Nordic nation is a priority for the United States. The National Guard has had a strong and mutually beneficial security cooperation relationship with the Finnish military for over two decades, and the framework for an even deeper partnership between our two nations is already in place. We congratulate Finland on becoming the newest member of NATO, and look forward to continuing our partnership and working together to learn from each other and improve our readiness.
As Chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Hokanson is a member of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Joint Chiefs of Staff is the highest military advisory body for the US national leadership.
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