Foreign Ministry's press releases

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will attend a Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 24–26 October.

The EU foreign ministers will convene in Luxembourg on 23 October. Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will represent Finland at the meeting. After the Council meeting, the EU foreign ministers will meet with the foreign ministers of the Central Asian countries.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will attend an informal meeting of EU trade ministers in Valencia, Spain, on 19–20 October. The ministers will discuss economic security and trade relations between the EU and India. The ministers will also discuss the EU’s ongoing bilateral trade negotiations.

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will attend the School Meals Coalition Global Summit in Paris on Wednesday 18 October. Finland and France are co-chairs of the School Meals Coalition, and Minister Tavio is the Global Champion for School Meals. The French President Emmanuel Macron will open the summit.

State Secretary Lauri Tierala will represent Finland at the Nordic–African Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (NAFM) in Algeria on 16–18 October.

A recent survey commissioned by the Embassy of Finland in Moscow reveals that more than one in three Russians feel positive about Finland, compared to one in two a year ago. Researchers ascribe the decline in Finland’s reputation among Russians mainly to the negative media coverage of Finland’s membership in NATO. Young people hold the most positive attitudes towards Finland.

On 12 October 2023, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) issued a decision on a case concerning continuation of detention on remand. The Court declared inadmissible the application alleging a violation of Article 5 (right to liberty and security of person) of the European Convention on Human Rights (Convention).

A draft government proposal, prepared by a working group led by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, was sent out for comments on 12 October 2023.

Finland unequivocally condemns the assault against Israel by the terrorist organisation Hamas. Following the escalation of the situation, Finland will review its Country Programme for development cooperation in Palestine. In this way, Finland can verify that its support is targeted correctly. The report will be submitted to Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio.

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen has postponed her visit to Washington D.C., the United States, scheduled for 12 October.