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28.1.2026 | EU foreign affairs ministers will convene for a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 29 January. Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will represent Finland at the meeting.

8.12.2025 | This year, the International Gender Equality Prize was awarded to Masha Foundation , a Ukrainian public organisation which carries out significant work to help Ukrainian women overcome the psychological consequences of war and other violence.

26.2.2025 | Opening Remarks at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Winter meeting on 20 February 2025 by OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Ms Elina Valtonen, were delivered by Permanent Representative, Ambassador Vesa Häkkinen.

7.6.2024 | The availability and price of natural gas (methane) have been at the heart of Europe's response to Russia's aggression in connection with the war in Ukraine. A massive military invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, but the energy war started already in summer 2021 as Russia manipulated gas trade to the European Union.

History and buildings History of the Finnish Government The War of Finland in 1808-09 brought the transfer of Finland from Swedish rule to become an autonomous grand duchy of the Russian empire. In 1809 the new Grand Duchy of Finland received its ...

30.11.2019 | Today marks the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Finnish Winter War. The war began when the Soviet Union invaded Finland without declaring war on 30 November 1939. The war ended on 13 March 1940, after 105 days of hostilities.

7.2.2020 | Finland’s Winter War against the Soviet Union was brought to an end with the signing of a peace treaty between the two countries, which took effect on 13 March 1940. The war had lasted 105 days. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Winter War. To commemorate this, a national memorial service will be held in Helsinki Cathedral on 13 March at 10.00–10.30. The event will be attended by the country’s leaders and is also open to the public.

24.2.2026 | Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen, Reinforced Permanent Council of the OSCE, 24 February 2026.

1.11.2019 | This year marks the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Winter War. The war started when the Soviet Union attacked Finland without a declaration of war.

9.3.2020 | On 13 March 2020, exactly 80 years will have passed since the end of the Winter War. On the anniversary of the end of the war, a national memorial service will be held at the Helsinki Cathedral at 10 –10.30. The event is open to the public and will be attended by the state leadership.

29.9.2022 | Energy ministers from the EU Member States will convene for an extraordinary Energy Council meeting on Friday 30 September 2022. Their aim is to reach an agreement on a proposed EU regulation concerning an emergency intervention to address high energy prices and to mitigate their negative effects on consumers.

22.9.2022 | Finland, like many other States, has decided to take part in two sets of international judicial proceedings in which Ukraine demands that Russia be held responsible for violations of international law.

12.3.2020 | On Friday 13 March 2020, exactly 80 years will have passed since the end of the Winter War. The planned national memorial service marking the anniversary of the end of the war at the Helsinki Cathedral has been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak. The memorial coffee for the public at Senate Square is also cancelled.

13.3.2020 | Today, on 13 March 2020, exactly 80 years will have passed since the end of the Winter War. Bells will ring out in all of Finland’s Lutheran, Orthodox and Catholic churches at 10.55–11.00 today. The ringing of the bells will commemorate the exact moment when the war ended.

16.1.2026 | The International Press Center (IPC), which has been administered by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, is closing. The reasons for the closure are the center's reduced activity in recent years and the need to allocate resources to other communications activities.

31.12.2025 | Fellow citizens, The darkest part of winter is now behind us – every day is a little bit longer than the last. Winter storm Hannes, which raged through Finland, has now subsided. I would like to thank the authorities and everyone else who has worked hard to repair the damage caused by the storm. We can be proud of the way Finland comes together in these situations.

14.10.2025 | A recent survey commissioned by Finland’s Embassy in Moscow shows that Finland’s reputation among Russians has held steady for the past three years, but over a longer period it has clearly declined. The most positive attitudes are found among young people, while pensioners are the most negative. An increasing share of respondents are unwilling or unable to express an opinion.

23.10.2025 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Brussels on 23 October. Their bilateral discussion took place in connection with the European Council.

25.8.2025 | "Our task is to promote a world in which as many people as possible—regardless of country of birth and circumstances—can live their lives safely and freely, and be happy. That is Finland’s story."

8.2.2019 | On Friday 8 February, the Prime Minister's Office received an archive report prepared by the National Archives of Finland of the involvement of Finnish SS men in the killing of Jews, civilians and prisoners of war in the period 1941–1943.