Vice Chief of Defence of the German Armed Forces visited Finland
Vice Chief of Defence of the German Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Markus Laubenthal, visited Finland on 27 to 29 May. The host of the visit was Chief of Defence Command, Lieutenant General Vesa Virtanen.
During his visit, Lieutenant General Laubenthal familiarized himself with the Finnish defence system based on reserve as well as international training activities in Northern Finland. The discussions during the visit focused on cooperation between Finland and Germany, both bilaterally and as part of the alliance.
The Chief of Defence Command, Lieutenant General Vesa Virtanen, describes the visit as a great opportunity to engage in discussions regarding cooperation and showcase the Finnish defence system.
– Germany is an important partner for us, both bilaterally and as part of the alliance. It is always a joy and an honour to present the Finnish defence system, which is based on a strong reserve and is not yet widely known in NATO countries. The reservists participating in Northern Forest once again demonstrated their skills in a major international exercise. As part of the alliance, international training activities are becoming an increasingly central part of the everyday operations of the Defence Forces, says Lieutenant General Virtanen.
– The comprehensive program, General Virtanen and his team prepared, provided me a deep insight into the effectiveness of the Finnish defence and especially reserve system. I am deeply impressed by the professionalism and personal engagement I experienced from the soldiers participating in the presented exercises and at the Lapland Border Guard. My major observation: Based on a deep friendship and common values Finland and Germany have many commonalities in military thinking and operational art. I am honored to have visited Finland as new NATO member with Sweden hopefully following soon, says General Lieutenant Laubenthal.
The visit program included familiarization with the Northern Forest 23 exercise led by the Army Academy and the Arctic Challenge Exercise 23 air exercise of the Finnish Air Force, as well as a visit to the Lapland Border Guard in Salla. Lieutenant General Laubenthal laid a wreath at the cemetery of German soldiers in Norvajärvi during the visit.
