Puolustusministeriö

Puolustusministeriö, or the Ministry of Defence, is a Finnish government ministry responsible for planning, directing and coordinating the country's defence policy, security policy and the defence administration. It is part of the Government of Finland and operates under the authority of the Prime Minister, with the Minister of Defence as its political head and a permanent secretary as the top civil servant. The ministry is headquartered in Helsinki and employs civil servants and specialists who work on defence planning, international cooperation, legal affairs, budget and procurement, and communications.

Its main tasks include formulating defence policy in line with democratic principles, managing defence budgeting and procurement in cooperation with the Finnish Defence Forces, and ensuring the implementation of defence legislation. It coordinates national security and crisis management, civil defence, and the resilience of critical infrastructure, and oversees arms exports and defence materials licensing.

In international relations, Puolustusministeriö represents Finland in NATO-related matters (Finland joined NATO in 2023), EU defence cooperation, and bilateral defence partnerships. It guides cooperation with international organizations, and coordinates Finland's participation in international missions and training.

The ministry functions as the central coordinator for the defence sector, guiding long-term readiness and capability development, while the operational command of the Finnish Defence Forces rests with the military leadership and defence administration.