Foreign Ministry's press releases

The informal meeting of the EU ministers for development will take place on 10–11 February 2025 in Warsaw, Poland. Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will represent Finland at the meeting.

The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs introduces the guidelines for sustainable meeting practices that it has updated in cooperation with WWF Finland. The principles outlined in these guidelines will be observed in all events of the OSCE Chairpersonship organised in Finland in 2025. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is committed to promoting sustainability in all events.

Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys will visit Helsinki on 11 February and meet Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen.

On 6 February, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs granted an exemption for a deal on the shares held by sanctioned persons in Helsinki Halli Oy. The exemption was granted to Trevian Kasvu LP Ky. An authorisation from the National Enforcement Authority Finland is still needed for the deal.

The operations and management of the Team Finland network will be reformed in cooperation with business and industry, as outlined in the Finnish Government Programme. Business Finland’s foreign functions will be directly integrated into the structures of the Foreign Service by 1 January 2026.

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will attend the European Union Ambassadors' Conference and visit NATO Headquarters on 5 February.

Education, good governance, nature, equality and happiness are themes that Finland is known for worldwide, according to Finland Promotion Board’s publication How the World Views Finland. In 2024, especially Finland’s NATO membership and security policy brought international media coverage. Despite the challenging global situation, Finland’s country brand has remained largely positive, but differences between countries in attitudes towards Finland have increased. This is why it is increasingly important for Finland to be known for its strengths, the publication states.

The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has published an information package on its website for those planning or considering travelling to Ukraine to serve as volunteer fighters and for their family and friends. The Ministry does not recommend or promote volunteering as a fighter. However, it assists Finnish citizens who are in Ukraine in accordance with the Consular Services Act whenever possible.

Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will visit London on 4 February and meet the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Rapporteur Elina Björklund submitted her report on reforming the Team Finland network’s foreign functions to Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio and Minister of Economic Affairs Wille Rydman on 31 January 2025.