Europe should prepare for a far greater role within Nato, including the possibility of leading the alliance without the United States, according to a working group led by former Finnish president Sauli Niinistö.
The group's report suggests shifting Nato's land forces further east, strengthening the headquarters in Mikkeli and establishing a new command centre in Poland.
The rationale, according to the report, is concern over a potential US disengagement from the alliance.
Since US President Donald Trump began threatening to pull the US out of Nato, talk of a European-centric Nato has become plentiful. But critics argue the discussion lacks substance.
"If we are thinking specifically about the structural side — how Europe would actually respond — I have not seen much concrete detail," Niinistö said. "This report may well be the first attempt to provide it."
Niinistö said that he has spoken about the benefits of a more Euro-centric Nato in the past, adding that he is pleased to see others taking up the matter.
He noted that in the past, "people used to laugh at me" over statements he had made about the issue.
Niinistö's comments come against the backdrop of dismissive comments by Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte regarding European defence.
New bunkers
This week, news emerged that the Finnish Defence Forces are building permanent defensive positions along the Gulf of Finland in Kymenlaakso.
The construction marks the first time such fortifications have been built outside garrison areas.
The FDF said that the positions will be used in training exercises, and they can serve in the event of a military threat. Made from concrete, they are designed to protect against shrapnel and indirect fire. They are not intended for drone defence.
Drones were also centre stage at the United Nations on Tuesday, where Russian envoy Vasily Nebenzya sparked a heated exchange when he alleged that Ukraine is planning drone strikes from the Baltic countries.
He also issued a thinly veiled threat to the Baltic states, warning that Nato membership would not protect them from Russian retaliation.
Nebenzya's claims were rejected as fiction by Latvia's UN envoy, while the United States reaffirmed its commitment to Nato.
Ukraine has warned that Russia is spreading disinformation about Baltic and Finnish airspace being used for Ukrainian operations.
"We reiterate that — contrary to Russian propaganda claims — neither Estonia, nor Latvia, Lithuania, or Finland have ever allowed to use their airspace for strikes against Russia. Furthermore, Ukraine has never requested such a use," Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi posted on X.
Last Friday, a drone alert affecting the Uusimaa region led to people being advised to move indoors and stay there. Some 1.8 million people live in the area, making it Finland's most populous.
