Money for Social and Health Services – Not for War!

Global military spending in 2024 amounted to approximately 2,390 billion euros – nearly 2.4 trillion euros. By far the largest spender was the United States (865.2 billion euros). Next came China (around 298.5 billion euros) and Russia (around 129.5 billion euros. The combined military expenditure of the European Union member states was about 343 billion euros.

Finland’s military spending is small compared to these amounts – about 6.5 billion euros in 2025. However, relative to GDP, Finland’s military spending is high and has nearly doubled in just a few years. Per capita, Finland spends the 12th most on military expenditure in the world.

Alongside armaments, part of Finland’s military spending goes to military administration and conscription. Far from all expenses are publicly disclosed. One of the largest cost items is the annual instalment on fighter jet purchases, which in 2026 will amount to 1.6 billion euros.

Ministers and other authorities claim that defence investments bring prosperity and jobs. In reality, the profits flow mainly to foreign arms industries. Research shows that money spent on armaments drains resources from economic growth, despite right-wing propaganda claiming otherwise.

Under the leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump, NATO has demanded that member states raise military spending to five percent of GDP. This would more than double Finland’s already high military expenditure.

Increasing military spending will lead to new billion-euro cuts in the near future. Money fed to the arms industry and to war is taken away from social and health services and other public services. Cuts to education and research undermine people’s skills.

The EU-mandated debt brake already requires 10 billion euros in adjustments. All parliamentary parties except the Left Alliance have committed to this debt brake. Even the Left Alliance, however, has committed to the EU’s new fiscal rules, which aim to restrain the growth of public spending. Growing military expenditure has not been taken into account in the debt brake. In other words, debt cannot be taken on to improve services – but there are no restrictions on weapons procurement.

A growing arms industry is creating in Finland and Europe a military-industrial complex similar to that of the United States. In recent years, hundreds of defence-industry start-ups have emerged in Finland. Such growth in the arms sector brings with it an expanding culture of secrecy.

Arms build-ups are marketed to citizens through a false sense of security. Finland’s 2.9 billion euro contribution to the war in Ukraine has, in part, prolonged the conflict. Large defence investments attract corruption. It is unclear whose pockets the money ultimately ends up in. Rapidly expanding military spending will devastate the well-being of Europeans. It is worth remembering that the EU is not the whole of Europe.

The arms industry consumes enormous amounts of limited natural resources, including rare earth metals essential for green technologies. In addition, arms production, the mining industry required for it, and warfare itself cause pollution and generate massive greenhouse gas emissions.

The Communist Party of Finland (SKP) demands substantial reductions in the military budget and in the arms industry. We challenge the parliamentary parties to engage in an open discussion on the inflation of defence appropriations. SKP believes that the funds allocated to armaments would be far better used for education, raising basic social security to 1,500 euros per month, and improving social and health services. The environment will benefit when we stop wasting money and natural resources on the futility of warfare.

SKP demands that Finland stop exporting arms to countries engaged in war. Finland must invest in diplomacy, conflict prevention, and humanitarian aid. Opposing growing militarism is one of the most important issues of our time. The uncontrolled expansion of the military budget must be reversed, and security thinking must once again include peace work. SKP calls for increased investment in social and health services and in education.

Central Committee of the Communist Party of Finland
Turku, 23 November 2025