The global environment continues to face rapid and disruptive changes. Alliances are challenged, even questioned, emerging technologies are redrawing the boundaries of power, and traditional assumptions about security no longer hold.
In this reality, Europe must move decisively on several fronts: restoring its economic competitiveness, building more capacity in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, strengthening its own decision-making and intelligence-sharing frameworks, investing in more defence capabilities, and shaping and defending a European security order that reflects its interests and values.
Helsinki Security Forum 2025 – The Hour of Europe brought experts and decision-makers together to ponder the hard questions and explore Europe’s path forward.
The fourth annual Helsinki Security Forum (HSF) was held on 19–21 September 2025 in Helsinki, Finland.
Programme - HSF 2025
Friday 19 September
Saturday 20 September
Sunday 21 September
Speakers
Anna Katariina Wisakanto
Senior Researcher, Center for AI Risk Management & Alignment
Senior Researcher, Center for AI Risk Management & Alignment
Antti Häkkänen
Minister of Defence of Finland
Minister of Defence of Finland
Bobo Lo
Independent International Relations Analyst
Independent International Relations Analyst
Charly Salonius-Pasternak
CEO, Nordic West Office
CEO, Nordic West Office
David Petraeus
Partner, Chairman of the Global Institute and Chairman of KKR Middle East, KKR
Partner, Chairman of the Global Institute and Chairman of KKR Middle East, KKR
Elina Valtonen
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Esa Rautalinko
President & CEO, Patria
President & CEO, Patria
Hanna Notte
Director, Eurasia Program, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies
Director, Eurasia Program, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies
Hanna Ojanen
Research Director, Tampere University
Research Director, Tampere University
Heikki Autto
Member of Parliament of Finland, National Coalition Party; Chair of the Defence Committee of the Parliament
Member of Parliament of Finland, National Coalition Party; Chair of the Defence Committee of the Parliament
Henna Virkkunen
Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, European Commission
Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, European Commission
Hiski Haukkala
Director, FIIA
Director, FIIA
Iro Särkkä
Senior Research Fellow, FIIA
Senior Research Fellow, FIIA
Jana Puglierin
Head of ECFR Berlin and Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations
Head of ECFR Berlin and Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations
Joel B. Predd
Director, RAND Geopolitics of Artificial General Intelligence Initiative
Director, RAND Geopolitics of Artificial General Intelligence Initiative
Johannes Koskinen
Member of Parliament of Finland, Social Democratic Parliamentary Group; Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament
Member of Parliament of Finland, Social Democratic Parliamentary Group; Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament
Juha Jokela
Programme Director, FIIA
Programme Director, FIIA
Katarzyna Zysk
Professor of International Relations and Contemporary History, Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies
Professor of International Relations and Contemporary History, Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies
Kimberly Dozier
Global Affairs Analyst, CNN
Global Affairs Analyst, CNN
Kristiina Helenius
CEO, Big Picture LLC
CEO, Big Picture LLC
Lisa Murkowski
US Senator (R-Ak)
US Senator (R-Ak)
Markus Holmgren
Research Fellow, FIIA & Aalto University
Research Fellow, FIIA & Aalto University
Matti Pesu
Senior Research Fellow, FIIA
Senior Research Fellow, FIIA
Melissa Heikkilä
AI Correspondent, Financial Times
AI Correspondent, Financial Times
Michael Kofman
Senior Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Senior Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Mikael Mattlin
Research Professor, FIIA
Research Professor, FIIA
Mikko Hyppönen
Chief Research Officer, Sensofusion
Chief Research Officer, Sensofusion
Nigel Gould-Davies
Senior Fellow, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Senior Fellow, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Niklas Helwig
Leading Researcher, FIIA
Leading Researcher, FIIA
Oliver Moody
Berlin Correspondent, The Times
Berlin Correspondent, The Times
Peter MacKay
Executive Advisor, Deloitte
Executive Advisor, Deloitte
Peter Watkins
Visiting Professor, King’s College London
Visiting Professor, King’s College London
Pranay Vaddi
Senior Fellow at the Center for Nuclear Security Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Senior Fellow at the Center for Nuclear Security Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Rosa Balfour
Director, Carnegie Europe
Ruben Gallego
US Senator (D-Ariz.)
US Senator (D-Ariz.)
Samuel Charap
Distinguished Chair in Russia and Eurasia Policy, RAND
Distinguished Chair in Russia and Eurasia Policy, RAND
Sauli Eloranta
Vice President, Defence, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Vice President, Defence, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Shaun Walker
Correspondent, The Guardian
Correspondent, The Guardian
Sinikukka Saari
Leading Researcher, FIIA
Leading Researcher, FIIA
Steve Tsang
Director of the SOAS China Institute, SOAS University of London
Director of the SOAS China Institute, SOAS University of London
Sylvie Matelly
Director, Jacques Delors Institute
Director, Jacques Delors Institute
Teri Schultz
NATO & EU Reporter
NATO & EU Reporter
Veera Heinonen
Director, Foresight and Training, Sitra
Director, Foresight and Training, Sitra
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