The foreign ministers of the Nordic and Baltic countries will participate in the two-day meeting. Current NATO issues are also on the agenda.
10:30•Updated 12:05
The foreign ministers of the Nordic and Baltic countries have discussed current foreign and security policy issues at a two-day meeting in Lithuania.
The foreign ministers held a press conference on Wednesday morning in Kaunas.
Foreign Minister of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis told the press conference that the foreign ministers talked about, among other things, the challenges caused by Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Lithuania is the country chairing the meeting.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Pekka Haavisto (green) emphasized that support for Ukraine must be continued.
– Finland also participates both by helping humanitarian and by sending military material to Ukraine, Haavisto said at the press conference.
– The war can be long and we have to be firm in our position, Haavisto added.
Haavisto said that Russia’s attack on Ukraine started the process of applying for NATO membership in Finland and Sweden.
– This process has been very fast, Haavisto said.
Already 24 NATO countries have ratified Finland’s NATO membership, six countries are missing ratification. Haavisto thanked the other Nordic and Baltic countries for fully supporting Finland’s NATO aspirations.
– We expect good cooperation with NATO, but also good cooperation between NATO and the EU, Haavisto said.
Haavisto also answered a question about visas for Russians. Haavisto said that Finland has significantly reduced the number of tourist visas granted to Russians. According to Haavisto, it is important to deal with the visa issue at the EU level.
Finland of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (you move to another service) according to 6.–7. the agenda of the meeting to be held in September includes, for example, Russia’s illegal attack on Ukraine, Nordic and Baltic countries’ support for Ukraine, and current NATO issues.
In addition, the foreign ministers will discuss energy security and expectations for the upcoming UN General Assembly week.
Foreign Minister Haaviston’s program in Lithuania also includes a bilateral meeting with the opposition leader of Belarus, who lives in Vilnius Svjatlana Tsihanouskayan with.