Foreign Ministry's press releases

On 21 July 2022, the European Union imposed new sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. The new sanctions include a ban on imports of Russian gold. The new sanctions extend and specify previously imposed sanctions and include new provisions on their implementation.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto visited The Hague on Wednesday and will next travel to Montana in the United States. On Monday, he will attend the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.

On 8 July, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto appointed Member of Parliament Suldaan Said Ahmed as his Special Representative on Peace Mediation in the Horn of Africa. In his work as Foreign Minister’s Special Representative, Said Ahmed will focus on supporting peace processes.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has appointed Jukka Matilainen to the post of Press Counsellor at the Embassy of Finland in Moscow. The three-year term will start at the beginning of August.

The NATO member countries, represented by their Permanent Representatives to NATO, are preparing to sign the Accession Protocol for Finland on Tuesday 5 July. Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will attend the signing ceremony. The Accession Protocol for Sweden will be signed in the same ceremony. Once the Accession Protocol is signed, Finland will become an invitee of NATO.

On 23 June, the EU adopted a regulation on the reciprocity of public procurement. The regulation aims to give EU companies better access to public procurement markets outside the EU in the so-called third countries.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will meet Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau in Helsinki on 1 July.

Through the Foreign Ministry’s funding for development cooperation Finnish CSOs and their partners promote poverty eradication, reduction of inequality and the fulfilment of human rights. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has awarded approximately EUR 21 million in discretionary government grants for Finnish CSOs’ development cooperation projects in 2023–2026.

Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality, Thomas Blomqvist, will attend a meeting of the Ministers for Nordic Cooperation in Halden, Norway, on 27–28 June. One of the main topics of the meeting will be Nordic cooperation in times of crisis with a particular focus on the role of the ministers for Nordic cooperation in ensuring the exchange of information between the countries. At the meeting, ministers will adopt a joint declaration on cooperation during crises.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will attend Nordic foreign ministers’ meeting in N5 format in Norway on 27 June.