Competent intelligence is in Finland’s best interest

While values, interests and deals keep on competing with each other in the global security policy, there are no new positive developments in sight for Finland’s security situation. Finland’s security situation may deteriorate even further when Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine ends. The Russian ambitions for a superpower status will not go away, but its intelligence and influencing resources currently tied up in Ukraine will be freed up to be used elsewhere. 

Russia’s permanent interest in Finland is ensured by the fact that Finland is located between the Baltic Sea, which is of vital importance for Russia, and the Arctic region, the significance of which is constantly growing. Finland is of interest to several countries not only because of its geostrategic position but also because of its foreign and security policy role and technological expertise. Being part of the European Union and NATO and an active member of the coalition of the willing, Finland is currently an actor punching above its weight.

After the war ends, Western countries will have to consider how and within what timeframe economic and political relations with Russia will be restored. States are likely to choose different ways of dealing with Russia. Some countries have more significant interests in relation to economic and energy cooperation than others, and not all countries share similar threat scenarios. The essential question is the approach taken in respect of whether to continue the regime of sanctions against Russia after the war or not. Sudden and ill-considered lifting of sanctions would speed up the recovery of the Russian economy and thus increase the resources available for rearming the Russian military the country is seeking.

Therefore, the importance of intelligence is becoming increasingly emphasised in the current period of uncertainty. The Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (SUPO) produces intelligence to Finnish top-level national government to enable them to make foreign and security policy decisions that safeguard national security and determine the future of Finland based on the best obtainable intelligence. From SUPO, acquiring such intelligence from around the world requires continuous dialogue with those who need the intelligence, as well as boldness and open-mindedness to test new things and develop own capabilities.

"The struggle for power and resources between states is increasingly taking place in the economic arena dominated by companies.”

The world is not divided into allies and enemies only, but the security policy environment today is coloured increasingly in various shades of grey. Intelligence cannot focus only on the threat posed by Russia and China, as an increasing number of countries will operate differently in different contexts, depending on what will bring them the greatest benefits in any given situation. Under these circumstances, SUPO must also have a very broad understanding of the global developments that will affect Finland’s security as well. From the perspective of a small country’s security and intelligence service, the situation underlines the necessity of functional international partnerships.

The struggle for power and resources between states is increasingly taking place in the economic arena dominated by companies. The importance of the economy for national security is increasing as states are seeking to secure their own positions in the competition for technological development and the raw materials it requires.

Dependencies on energy supply, raw materials, technologies, and supply and production chains give the major powers with control over them leverage to pressure other countries. From the perspective of national security, it is essential to ensure that Finnish decision-makers can make foreign and security policy decisions from the perspective of Finland’s and Europe’s interests. SUPO has already strengthened its role in the field of economic security.

In Finland’s allied countries, intelligence has longer traditions and a more established position than in Finland, where intelligence is still a young sector. We have not yet developed an actual intelligence culture in the wider state administration or among decision-makers to a sufficient extent. Finland’s reference countries have advanced considerably further in these matters. Sweden, for example, has made significant decisions and taken major steps over the past couple of years in terms of both the financing of intelligence operations and the development and steering of civilian intelligence. In Finland as well, the position, capabilities and development of intelligence should be a topic of continuous political and societal debate. Having a strong national intelligence capacity is one of Finland’s main ways of using power in an uncertain world.

Juha Martelius
Director of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service