Foreign Minister Stubb to visit Northwest Russia
Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will make a visit to Vyborg, St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk on 8–10 February. During his visit, Foreign Minister Stubb will meet widely with local decision-makers and authorities and with Finns active in the region. Stubb will inaugurate the Finnish Visa Application Centre in St. Petersburg and will deliver speeches at a seminar on Arctic issues and to university students in St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk.
On his way to St. Petersburg, Stubb will become acquainted with activities at the Vaalimaa border crossing point and the new Allegro high-speed train. The Foreign Minister will meet with Leningrad region leaders in Vygborg and with Governor Valentina Matviyenko in St. Petersburg. The topics of these discussions will include, among others, prospects for cooperation between Finland and Russia in Northwest Russia.
In St. Petersburg, Stubb will inaugurate Finland’s new Visa Application Centre. Three out of every four visas granted by Finland are applied for in St. Petersburg. Last year, Finland’s Consulate General in St. Petersburg granted 751,000 visas. The number of applications rose by one-third.
In St. Petersburg, the Foreign Minister will also meet with representatives of Finnish and Nordic companies operating in the city, and he will visit Stockmann’s new department store. In addition, Stubb will visit Finland House, where he will become acquainted with the Finnish school and the activities of other organizations operating in Finland House.
While in St. Petersburg, Stubb will speak at a seminar aiming to strengthen the bilateral Arctic partnership between Finland and Russia. He will also make presentations to students at the State Universities of St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk.
In Petrozavodsk, Stubb will also meet with leaders of the Karelian Republic.
Additional information: Mikko Hautala, Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, mobile tel. +358 40 834 6758, Jaana Teckenberg, Head of the Unit for Russia, mobile tel. +358 40 754 2419, and Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, Press Attaché to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, mobile tel. +358 40 732 8340