Press releases, 29.8.2018

Foreign Minister Soini to attend meeting of EU foreign ministers in Vienna

An informal meeting of EU foreign ministers (Gymnich) will be held in Vienna on 30–31 August. Finland's representative at the meeting will be Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini.

The topics on the agenda will include the situation in the Middle East, transatlantic relations, the Western Balkans and multilateral cooperation. In discussions on the situation in the Middle East, the ministers will focus on the EU policy concerning the area, and the recent developments in Syria, Gaza, Iran and Yemen, for example.

President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and US President Donald Trump met in Washington on 25 July. The foreign ministers will discuss the current state and development of transatlantic relations. Finland stresses that the EU should remain united when faced with challenges relating to transatlantic relations. The EU is a vital partner for the United States in responding to common global challenges.

On Friday, the ministers will continue the discussion on the Western Balkans, building on the outcome of the EU-Western Balkans summit held in Sofia last May. Traditionally, the foreign ministers of the EU candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey) attend some of the sessions of the informal meetings. In this context, Finland will emphasise that the countries undergoing the EU accession process must, in accordance with their obligation, ensure that their foreign policy is in line with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. 

The Gymnich meeting will end with a discussion on multilateral cooperation as part of the EU's consistent and effective Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Minister Soini will also attend the opening of the new premises of Finland’s Embassy in Vienna.

Inquiries: Riikka Taivassalo, Special Adviser to the Foreign Minister, tel. +358 295 351 960, and Matti Nissinen, European Correspondent, tel. +358 295 535 1780.

The Foreign Ministry’s email addresses are in the format [email protected]