German Foreign Minister Wadephul visits NATO's northern flank to learn about Finland's civil protection

Helsinki's Shelters as a Model

During the visit, Wadephul called for a clear change of course in German security policy. „Ich glaube, wir müssen einfach komplett umdenken", he said. „Nun sei es nötig, das Tempo anzuziehen." The CDU politician noted that similar provisions had been discussed in Germany since the start of Russia's war against Ukraine, but also pointed to a number of practical hurdles. At the same time, Wadephul warned against exaggerated expectations of a rapid normalization of relations with Moscow. „All das sind Träume, die man haben kann. Aber die Realpolitik gebietet es, sich anders zu verhalten", he said, referring to voices from the business community and from within his own ranks calling for a quick resumption of trade with Russia after a peace settlement in Ukraine.

In talks with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, who grew up in Bonn, the focus was on security along the border with Russia. Valtonen said: „Und es ist nicht nur im Interesse Finnlands, sondern im Interesse von ganz Europa, dass diese Grenze sicher bleibt." Wadephul spoke of a „völlig neue[n] Bedrohungslage" and described Russia's actions as a hybrid threat intended to exert pressure on Finland and other EU states. Russia had in 2023 increasingly allowed people from third states to enter the EU without papers and announced that troop numbers along the border would be increased as soon as capacities allowed. Russia had also announced the construction of new military bases along the border and the creation of a new military district.

Hybrid Threats and the New Threat Situation

Wadephul used the visit to point to a number of domestic policy failures in Germany. In Helsinki, he said that security in Europe could only be achieved against Russia. This meant increasing one's own resilience. The minister stressed that Russia wanted „die offenen Gesellschaften verunsichern und schwächen". The German foreign minister also called for a rethink on civil protection and pointed to the power outage in Berlin on 3 January, which had been caused by an arson attack on the power supply. Wadephul asked sarcastically whether one could perhaps also play tennis in the Finnish facility, without naming the governing mayor Kai Wegner by name. Wegner had resigned on 20 September of the previous year as the CDU's lead candidate for the Berlin House of Representatives election after persistent criticism, having played tennis with his partner for an hour on the first day of the power outage.

On the Finnish side, it became clear that security preparedness goes far beyond civil protection. Following NATO accession in April 2023, Finland's more than 1,300-kilometer border with Russia has become a NATO border. Wadephul described Finland's accession as an „absoluten Gamechanger". According to Valtonen, Finland is preparing to acquire internationally banned antipersonnel mines in the coming months. These are to be used exclusively along the Russian border and only in the event of a drastic deterioration of the situation. „Es geht darum, diese Fähigkeit einsetzen zu können, aber nur im Kriegsfall", said Valtonen. She added: „Wir hoffen auf das Verständnis unserer engsten Partner." Last year, Finland, together with Poland and the Baltic states, had decided to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning antipersonnel mines. The United States and Russia have never ratified the treaty.

Antipersonnel Mines and the Ottawa Convention

Wadephul also commented on the humanitarian character of the Ottawa Convention. „Die Ottawa-Konvention bleibt aus humanitären und rüstungspolitischen Gründen von hoher Bedeutung", he said. At the same time, he pointed out that Finland's security situation was forcing a reassessment. The CDU politician said: „Ich glaube, es ist nicht richtig, hier als deutscher Oberlehrer aufzutreten." He also referred to NATO's special responsibility on its northern flank: „Ihr seid gewissermaßen unser Frühwarnsonar und Radar der NATO im Nordatlantik", he said, addressing Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, who had specifically interrupted his summer vacation to take part in the program in Bodø north of the Arctic Circle.

In Bodø, Norway, Wadephul had previously observed an exercise aboard the patrol boat „Turva," in which special forces from border troops rappelled from a helicopter to storm a bridge and bring the ship under their control. At a subsequent meeting with Norwegian armed forces, their regular contact with the Russian Northern Fleet base in Murmansk was also discussed. According to Norway's own information, the country contacts the Russian Northern Fleet stationed in Murmansk every Wednesday; the contacts often last no longer than 20 seconds. Norwegian armed forces regularly meet in person with the FSB, which is responsible for the protection of the Russian border, according to Wadephul's interlocutors.

Cooperation with Norway and the View on Ukraine

On the occasion of the Helsinki visit, the Vaalimaa border crossing, which Wadephul also visited according to reporters, was also addressed. The crossing has been closed since the end of 2023. At its peak, around three million border crossings per year were recorded there. According to his own account, Wadephul was surprised that the Finnish-Russian border is longer than the borders of all other NATO states combined. Further talks with the Finnish border guard were planned during the visit, the German foreign minister said. „Es sind noch Gespräche mit dem finnischen Grenzschutz geplant."

When discussing the military situation, those involved also referred to experiences in Ukraine. According to expert estimates, an area the size of Germany in Ukraine is contaminated with mines and duds. The clearance of these ordnance will, according to experts, take centuries. Eoin Micheal McNamara, a security expert at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, described landmines as „ziemlich grausame Waffen," saying they were not the most precise and reacted to body heat. „Wer diese Grausamkeit nicht erleben will, der sollte nicht in fremdes Gebiet eindringen oder gar einmaschieren", said McNamara. „Aber Grausamkeit ist natürlich ein Teil der Abschreckung." Valtonen had previously stressed that Finland's mine strategy was intended to prevent the „Instrumentalisierung von Migranten" by Russia.

At the end of his trip, Wadephul emphasized that Finland was a model for Germany's efforts to become more resilient against Russian threats. „Nicht Alarmismus, sondern Vorbereitung. Davon können wir in Europa viel lernen", he said. This echoed his previously expressed view that the old formula, that security could only be achieved with Russia and not against it, is a thing of the past. Trade and contact with Russia would only be possible once the Russian government fundamentally changes its policies. Wadephul's visit to Finland lasts two days.

Implications for German Security Policy

The reporting on the Helsinki visit was broadcast on 16 July 2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program, as can be seen from the aired segment. „Diese Nachricht wurde am 16.07.2026 im Programm Deutschlandfunk gesendet."