Context: The Finnish Defense Minister, Antti Hänkkänen, has expressed his expectations regarding the delivery of weapons to Ukraine.
Fact Check: The article mentions concerns about the possibility of military equipment diverted from Ukraine to Iran, although this information comes from The Washington Post and is not confirmed.
Author: Shona Murray
Published: 28/03/2026 – 9:20 UTC+1
The Finnish Defense Minister, Antti Hänkkänen, told Euronews that he expects all weapons destined for Ukraine, purchased from the United States by European countries, to be delivered. Helsinki will ensure that Washington honors the contracts signed with NATO European countries that have bought arms for Ukraine from American military companies.
This concern arises from a Washington Post article suggesting that the Pentagon might redirect crucial military equipment meant for Ukrainian defense forces to the war against Iran.
“We evaluate how the money is spent each time, and we are confident that the mechanism is working. If there are issues, well, we must reevaluate the situation,” Hänkkänen stated during an interview at the Ministry of Defense in Helsinki as part of Euronews’ “12 Minutes with” program.
The NATO Secretary-General, Mark Rutte, confirmed that essential equipment for Kyiv, including interceptors, “continues to arrive in Ukraine.” However, there are fears that as the war continues and US military stocks deplete, a decision may be made to reallocate resources to Iran.
Helsinki is clear that it will not be drawn into Israeli-American intervention in Iran, despite US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s comments suggesting that US support for Ukraine is at risk if European allies do not assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz.
President of Finland Alexander Stubb also reiterated the country’s resistance to US calls for aid. He stated that the war against Iran is not an issue for the NATO, which is a defensive alliance.
The President made these remarks during a press conference following a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEC) leaders, a multilateral defense cooperation between Nordic and Baltic NATO member countries.
