Government of Finland

01/08/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/08/2025 10:05

Foreign Minister Valtonen visits Ukraine

Foreign Minister Valtonen visits Ukraine

Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Publication date 8.1.2025 17.51 | Published in English on 8.1.2025 at 18.00
Press release

On 8 January, Finland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen visited Kiev, Ukraine, where she met President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk. This was Minister Valtonen's first visit to a country as Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Minister Elina Valtonen reaffirmed Finland's long-term support to Ukraine and emphasised that Ukraine is a priority for Finland's OSCE Chairpersonship.

"This visit to Ukraine at the very beginning of our OSCE Chairpersonship sends a strong message of the OSCE's support to Ukraine. The Organization and the overwhelming majority of its participating States are fully committed to supporting Ukraine, its people and civil society as the country continues the fight to defend itself in Russia's war of aggression," Valtonen says.

During her visit, Minister Valtonen also met representatives of Ukrainian civil society, the media and OSCE staff working in Ukraine.

More information

  • Matilda af Hällström, Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 350 488

  • Toni Sandell, Deputy Head for the Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship, tel. +358 295 350 432

  • The email addresses of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs are in the format [email protected]