Skip to content

Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces Christmas greeting to peacekeepers 2021

Defence Command
Publication date 23.12.2021 10.00
Press release

The Commander of the Defence Forces, General Timo Kivinen, has sent his Christmas greeting to the Finnish crisis management troops.

Finnish peacekeepers

In behalf of the Finnish Defence Forces I would like to extend my personal thanks to you for your valuable contribution to providing security in many crisis areas - not to forget our liaison officers in remote command staffs.

Together, you have fully fulfilled the crisis management tasks assigned to the Finnish Defence Forces by the state leadership, even though the current year has included surprising situational developments that have required resources and flexibility at all levels.

Thanks to you and your predecessors, Finnish peacekeepers have a good reputation among the populations of partner countries and mission areas. This is due to the professional implementation of the service tasks and the ability to deal with the local population.

Crisis management will also be needed in the future. Military crisis management creates the conditions for other actors to support the crisis area. The objectives of the action may vary from one operation to another, but the goal is common – to help a crisis area. Your work will make a tangible contribution to the security and stability of your region.

I hope that, to the extent permitted by the service tasks and in addition to maintaining readiness, you will be able to remain at least for a while with your loved ones this year, using dial-up connections.

Peacekeepers, I thank you for the past year and for your valuable work for international peace and stability. I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and success for 2022.

General Timo Kivinen
Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces

´