Kaikkonen discusses NATO joining process with Dwyer

Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen on Tuesday held a meeting with the visiting Commander of NATO Joint Force Command Norfolk, Vice Admiral Daniel Dwyer in Helsinki and discussed the process of Finland´s NATO membership, said the Ministry.

Dwyer visited Finland on Monday and Tuesday hosted by the Finnish Defence Forces' Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy, Lieutenant General Kim Jäämeri.

“Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen met today (Tuesday) with Vice Admiral Daniel Dwyer, Commander of NATO Joint Force Command Norfolk. Good discussion on the current security situation and Finland’s NATO membership process,” the Ministry of Defence wrote in a twitter post.

During the visit, Dwyer got acquainted with the Finnish Defence Forces and the military aspects of Finland's NATO membership process.

He also visited the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE) in Helsinki.

Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFCNF) is the first of NATO's operational headquarters to focus on the Atlantic region, and the only one of NATO's three operational headquarters based in the United States.

JFCNF protects strategic maritime connections in all operating environments and secures maritime connections between Europe and North America.