Foreign Minister Valtonen to address EU Ambassadors' Conference and North Atlantic Council

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

Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen has been invited to speak at the annual conference of the heads of the EU’s diplomatic missions. Together with Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski and the Netherlands’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Caspar Veldkamp, Valtonen will talk about the significance of the EU’s network of diplomatic missions.

Foreign Minister Valtonen will also hold several bilateral meetings, including with the EU’s High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius.

“European security and strategic competitiveness go hand in hand. A strong and competitive single market and sustainable economic growth are strategic goals in themselves. They also facilitate investments in our common security and defence,” Valtonen says.

Minister Valtonen will also visit NATO Headquarters and present Finland’s programme of its OSCE Chairpersonship to the North Atlantic Council. It is customary that the country holding the annual rotating chairpersonship of the OSCE visits NATO to outline their priorities for the year. Finland’s Chairpersonship highlights respect for the OSCE principles, continued support for Ukraine and the importance of strengthening the OSCE for the future.

“The OSCE has a central role in guaranteeing the European security architecture, and NATO is committed to its principles. A just and lasting peace in Ukraine will only be possible if Ukraine has a strong negotiating position. That is why we will continue to support Ukraine in various ways both within the OSCE and NATO,” Valtonen says.

Foreign Minister Valtonen will also meet NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska.