ABSTRACT
Participation in international crisis management is an established part of Finland’s foreign and security policy. Finland’s international crisis management policy has been characterised by an emphasis on a comprehensive approach that acknowledges the need to coordinate diverse military and civilian measures to contribute to lasting peace and security. Simultaneously, international crisis management has played an instrumental role in reconciling Finland’s diverse and at times incongruent foreign and security policy objectives. Specifically, active and comprehensive engagement in crisis management has served as a way to foster key foreign and security policy partnerships while allowing Finland to maintain its self-perception as a neutral peacekeeping force. As a NATO member, the role of international crisis management in Finland’s foreign and security policy may evolve, both due to changes in internal foreign and security policy priorities as well as amid the broader shifts in the strategic environment of international crisis management. This chapter discusses the key characteristics, conditions and subsequent continuities and evolution in Finland’s contribution to international crisis management in times of uncertainty and sweeping changes.
