Foreign relations of Finland
The foreign relations of Finland are the responsibility of the president of Finland, who leads foreign policy in cooperation with the government. Implicitly the government is responsible for internal policy and decision making in the European Union. Within the government, preparative discussions are conducted in the government committee of foreign and security policy, which includes the Prime Minister and at least the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defence, and at most four other ministers as necessary. The committee meets with the President as necessary. Laws concerning foreign relations are discussed in the parliamentary committee of foreign relations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs implements the foreign policy.
Embassy of Finland to the United States in Washington D.C.
President of Latvia Jānis Čakste and President of Finland Lauri Kristian Relander during Relander's 1926 official visit to Latvia. In the background, the Foreign Minister of Finland Eemil Nestor Setälä to the right.
Yugoslavian President Josip Broz Tito with the Finnish president Urho Kekkonen in Helsinki 1964
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2016
The president of the Republic of Finland is the head of state of Finland. The incumbent president is Alexander Stubb, since 1 March 2024. He was elected president for the first time in 2024.
President of Finland
Newly sworn President Martti Ahtisaari (2nd left) inspects the company of honor with outgoing President Koivisto (c.), followed by others, c. 1994
New President Sauli Niinistö (rt.) and outgoing President Halonen (2nd rt.) accompanied by military leaders, inspect the company of honor, c. 2012
Mauno Koivisto with President Ronald Reagan during a trip to Finland