Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio, who last week visited Australia and New Zealand with a delegation of Finnish companies, offered ICEYE satellite defence capabilities as an example of the greater trade and defence cooperation between Finland and Australia that he is seeking to promote in the wake of the signing of the EU\u2013Australia free trade agreement<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mr Tavio said research and cooperation between the two countries would mean “faster development of technologies”.<\/p>\n “I think our defence cooperation will be very technological in nature,” Mr Tavio said.<\/p>\n Finnish company ICEYE is known for its satellite monitoring capabilities used in defence as well as disaster management. (Supplied: ICEYE)<\/p>\n He said the relationships Australia and Finland had already formed in the mining and quantum sectors also could advance further.<\/p>\n “In satellites, the Finnish company ICEYE is a good example. It provides the highest quality of data for the military as well as commercial applications,” he said.<\/p>\n “And that’s something that Australia might be interested in.”<\/p>\n The international company, known for its SAR satellites, essentially provides its clients with advanced satellite monitoring capabilities for use in environmental and defence situations.<\/p>\n It already has commercial ties in Australia, providing satellite-derived hazard intelligence to the banking and utilities sectors.<\/p>\n ICEYE said it saw “clear alignment” between its technology and Australia’s defence strategies.<\/p>\n “We are actively exploring opportunities to work with Australian partners to support both sovereign capability and broader use of space\u2011based intelligence,” a spokesperson for ICEYE said in a statement.<\/p>\n Seeking stronger international ties in wake of wars<\/p>\n Mr Tavio spoke to ABC News while on the Australian leg of a trade mission, during which he also met with cabinet members, including Trade Minister Don Farrell and Industry Minister Tim Ayres.<\/p>\n Australia and Finland’s trade relationship to date has focused on resources and telecommunications and, more recently, quantum technologies.<\/p>\n Along with a number of Baltic countries, Finland is a world leader and expanding manufacturer of high-tech defence technologies, including armoured vehicles, mortar systems, and cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.<\/p>\n The development has perhaps been spurred on by the fact that Finland shares a long land border with Russia. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 prompted Finland to drop decades of staunch non-alignment, dating back to the Cold War, and join NATO.<\/p>\n Finland has also been a major provider of assistance to Ukraine.<\/p>\n “We support the sovereignty of a sovereign country,” Mr Tavio said.<\/p>\n “It is very important that the whole world understands the illegal nature of the full-scale war on a neighbouring country.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Ukraine\u2013Russia war’s impact<\/p>\n While there has been increasing anxiety in Western Europe about Russian attacks beyond Ukraine, particularly after drones linked to Russia were seen over several European airports<\/a>, Mr Tavio said he saw no direct threat to Finland at present.<\/p>\n “Finland and the Nordics are pretty well prepared,” he said.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/05941fba433b988c61fbf536a1277c8a.jpeg\")
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