Foreign Ministry's press releases

During the crisis in 2014–2016, Finland's support to Ukraine has amounted to over EUR 23 million. Finland's support consists of development cooperation projects, funding allocated to international organisations and technical assistance. In addition, Finland supports Ukraine through the EU, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

The Ministers for Nordic Cooperation will meet in Copenhagen on 1 July 2016. Finland's Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Minister of Transport and Communications Anne Berner will chair the meeting. Finland holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2016.

A bilateral agreement related to an outstanding payment of EUR 2.95 million payable to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs by Cuba was signed in Havana on 27 June 2016. The agreement concerns the rearrangement of Finnish development aid granted to Cuba in 1973 and 1976.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, ICANN, will organise its 56th meeting in Helsinki on 27 –30 June 2016. Over a thousand participants from different countries are expected to attend.

The President of the Republic appointed Member of Parliament Kai Mykkänen as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development.

Finland's bilateral country strategies for development cooperation are mainly relevant and effective. This is revealed from an external evaluation, which reviewed the success of country strategies implemented in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nepal, Zambia, Tanzania and Vietnam.

The EU Foreign Ministers discussed issues related to the Arctic and the EU policy for the Arctic at their meeting in Luxembourg on 20 June . Finland's representative at the meeting was Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini. The meeting adopted the Council conclusions on the EU policy for the Arctic.

The EU Foreign Affairs Council will meet in Luxembourg on 20 June. Finland's representative at the meeting will be Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini. The agenda will include the EU's Arctic policy, the Sahel and Mali, Macedonia (FYROM), the Middle East peace process, and the EU-Georgia relations.

On Friday 17 June, the President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed Finland's participation in certain international crisis management operations.

“In its foreign and security policy Finland must prepare for rapid and even unpredictable changes in its operating environment; we do not have the option or desire to isolate ourselves”, stated Foreign Minister Timo Soini as he presented the Government’s Foreign and Security Policy Report.