Finland’s Parliament Votes to Lift Nuclear Weapons Ban as NATO Integration Deepens

Finnish officials said the change strengthens Finland’s security and NATO’s deterrence posture.

Commander of the Finnish Army Lieutenant General Pasi Valimaki addresses Finnish conscript soldiers after a military exercise at Pori Brigade in Niinisalo, Finland, on Dec. 9, 2025. Anne Kauranen/Reuters

Finnish lawmakers have voted to remove a decades-old ban on nuclear weapons, a move supporters said will strengthen the country’s security and bring its laws into line with NATO’s nuclear deterrence policy.

The June 17 vote amends Finland’s Nuclear Energy Act, which since 1987 has prohibited the import, manufacture, possession, and detonation of nuclear explosives on Finnish territory. The bill now moves to the president for final approval.