Foreign relations of Finland
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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 (ulko- ja turvallisuuspoliittinen ministerivaliokunta), 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.[1] The committee meets with the President as necessary. Laws concerning foreign relations are discussed in the parliamentary committee of foreign relations (ulkoasiainvaliokunta, utrikesutskottet). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs implements the foreign policy.[2][3]
History
The Kingdom of Sweden 1100-1809
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The Grand Duchy of Finland - Russian Empire 1809-1917
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Early independence
In March 1917, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia abdicated the throne, which led to the collapse of the Russian Empire and left the Grand Duchy of Finland without a grand duke. Following the Bolshevik Revolution in November, Finland declared independence in December 1917. Soviet Russia was the first to recognize Finland in 4 January 1918, followed shortly by Sweden, France, and Germany.[4]
In late January 1918, Finnish socialists launched a civil war with the support of Russian Bolsheviks. The anti-communist Whites, in turn, were supported by the German Empire. German assistance initially took the form of arms shipments and the deployment of Finnish Jägers trained in Germany. During the Finnish Civil War, Russia and Germany concluded the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, under which most of the Russian troops withdrew from Finland, leaving the Finnish Reds without support. Already in February, Finland's ambassador to Berlin, Edvard Hjelt, had formally requested German military intervention. In April, the German Baltic Sea Division landed at Hanko and took Helsinki from the Red Guards.[5]
To secure German assistance, Finland and Germany had signed a peace treaty accompanied by a trade agreement that granted significant benefits for German industry. A secret supplementary protocol authorized German forces to establish bases in Finland and to operate through Finnish territory to the Arctic Ocean.[5] After the White victory, a plan to establish a Finnish monarchy was set in motion, and Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse, brother-in-law of German Emperor Wilhelm II, was chosen as king-elect. Finland's pro-German policy and the election of a German king led to France to cut diplomatic relations with Finland, and prompted the United States and Great Britain to withhold recognition. U.S. Secretary of State Robert Lansing considered Finland a German-occupied country.[6]
However, Germany's defeat in the World War I and the abdication of Wilhelm II also put an end to Finland's monarchy project and forced a reorientation of its foreign policy. German forces withdrew from Finland following the Armistice of 11 November 1918. General Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, who had opposed the pro-German orientation, assumed the position of Regent of Finland. Mannerheim advocated the entente cordiale, supporting alignment with Franco–British relations.[7] A republican constitution was adopted in Finland in 1919, and the Allied powers agreed to recognize Finland following the Paris Peace Conference.[8]
Between the world wars
Relations with Soviet Russia from 1918 to 1939 were icy; voluntary expeditions to Russia called heimosodat ended only in 1922, four years after the conclusion of the Finnish Civil War. However, attempts to establish military alliances were unsuccessful.[9]
World War II
By 1940, Finland and Sweden considered forming a political union, but Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union obstructed these plans. The Soviet Union had not relinquished its strategic objective of bringing Finland under its control.[10] Finland’s only remaining option was partnership with Germany. Germany, for its part, was interested in cooperation with Finland due to the presence of nickel deposits in Lapland, a raw material of vital importance for the production of defence equipment.[10]
Later, during the Continuation War, Finland declared "co-belligerency" with Nazi Germany, and allowed Northern Finland to be used as a German attack base. For 872 days, the German army, aided indirectly by Finnish forces, besieged Leningrad, the Soviet Union's second-largest city.[11] The peace settlement in 1944 with the Soviet Union led to the Lapland War in 1945, where Finland fought Germans in northern Finland.
During the Cold War
Finland did not join the Soviet Union's economic sphere (Comecon) but remained a free-market economy and conducted bilateral trade with the Soviet Union.
The participating states signed a treaty that guaranteed the free movement of people and information. This provision became a catalyst for demands for human rights within the Eastern Bloc. The CSCE conference thus played a role in undermining the Iron Curtain. Hosting the CSCE was, moreover, an acknowledgement of Finland’s neutrality.[13]
The President of the United States Ronald Reagan conducted a three-day state visit to Finland in 1988, hosted by President Mauno Koivisto. This visit symbolised the diplomatic relations between the two nations during the late Cold War period.[14]
In 1990, the Helsinki Summit took place in Finland between U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. The agenda of the summit prominently featured the issue of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, which had precipitated international tensions.[15]
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Finland unilaterally abrogated the last restrictions imposed on it by the Paris peace treaties of 1947 and the Finno-Soviet Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance. The government filed an application for membership in the European Union (EU) three months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Finland officially established its relations with NATO in 1992 when it participated as an observer in the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC) foreign ministers’ meeting. This marked the beginning of Finland’s engagement with NATO cooperation mechanisms following the end of the Cold War, motivated primarily by the need to monitor security developments in neighboring Russia and the Baltic states. Negotiations to join NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) were initiated in 1993, and Finland formally joined the PfP program in 1994. Initially, Finland’s cooperation with NATO was restricted to non-combat areas such as rescue operations, peacekeeping training, and environmental protection.[16][17]
In November 1995, Finland’s Parliament was presented with a new peacekeeping law that facilitated broader participation in international peace operations. This legal framework enabled Finland’s full engagement in the Bosnia IFOR peacekeeping mission in 1996 as a full and active peace partner.[16][17]
Concurrently, efforts to align the Finnish Defence Forces' compatibility with NATO military standards were formalized through agreements signed in 1995. Further integration steps included the establishment of a special Finnish mission to NATO headquarters in Brussels in 1997, enhancing Finland’s involvement in NATO decision-making processes while maintaining its policy of military non-alignment.[16][17]
The Northern Dimension was conceived to manage the interdependencies between the EU and Russia, focusing on sectors such as environmental issues, nuclear safety, and the socio-economic development of border regions, including Kaliningrad. Finland’s geographic and political position made it a key driver of this policy, leveraging its EU membership since 1995 to facilitate a cooperative framework with Russia rather than antagonism.[18]
During the 1990s, Finnish exports to Russia recovered gradually after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the severe trade disruptions that followed. The economic situation in Russia came to stabilize during the 2000s, resulting in increased bilateral trade. By 2008, Russia had regained its status as Finland’s largest export market, fuelled not only by industrial goods but also by the growing presence of Russian consumers who contributed to Finland’s economic vitality.[19][7]
In 2005, the number of foreign spies in Finland returned to Cold War levels. Espionage activity was concentrated in the Helsinki metropolitan area, where the nation’s political leadership, largest corporations, and principal research institutions are located. The capital also hosts foreign embassies, through which, according to experts, the majority of espionage is conducted. According to information published by Helsingin Sanomat, approximately 50 trained spies representing the intelligence services of various countries were then operating in Finland. Most of them were based within the area of Ring Road III, posing as diplomats, journalists, researchers, businesspeople, grant holders, or students. Of these, an estimated 30 focused on civilian intelligence, while 20 concentrated on gathering military-related information.[20]
Change in constitution
In 2000, a major reform was made to the Constitution of Finland, which repealed the previously valid four separate constitutional laws and created a unified, modernised Constitution. This reform particularly signified a significant shift in the leadership of foreign policy.[21]
According to the Constitution of 2000, foreign policy is led by the President of the Republic in cooperation with the Council of State (the government). This means that the President’s power in foreign affairs is no longer exclusive but emphasizes collaboration with the government. Additionally, due to EU membership, the leadership of foreign policy was divided: the Council of State was given decision-making authority in preparing EU affairs and national measures, while the President retained responsibility for traditional foreign policy outside the EU. In practice, this transferred much power from the President to the Prime Minister and the government, while also increasing the role of Parliament.[21][22]
With this change, the President’s power in domestic politics was significantly reduced, and the Prime Minister became the key decision-maker in forming the government and leading the EU aspect of foreign policy. Except in times of crisis, the Constitution of 2000 emphasized cooperation and the President’s role is focused on foreign and security policy, but with more limited supervision and authority than before.[21][22]
The Constitution of 2000 strengthened parliamentarism and transformed the President’s position into a dual leadership in foreign policy: the President and the Council of State lead foreign policy together, with the Council of State and Prime Minister having a strong role in EU matters. This pushed Finland toward a more modern, parliamentary system of leadership in foreign policy. The arrangement has been criticised for not providing a simple answer of who's in charge if there is a major dispute.[21][23][22]
Russian invasion of Ukraine
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Among the most significant repercussions was Finland’s historic decision in May 2022 to apply for NATO membership, ending decades of military non-alignment. Finland joined NATO in April 2023. This decision was driven by increased perceptions of threat from Russia, which undermined the credibility of bilateral security assurances. Concurrently, Finland intensified its defence cooperation with Ukraine by supplying defence materiel packages and signing cooperation agreements to deepen military collaboration. Finland has emerged as one of Ukraine’s largest supporters by GDP ratio.[24][25]
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Multilateral relations
Since 1917, Finland has joined numerous multilateral organizations. Key ones include:
- League of Nations (1920)
- Bank for International Settlements (1930)
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) (1948)
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) (1948)
- General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) (1950)
- United Nations (UN) (1955)
- Nordic Council (1955)
- International Finance Corporation (1956)
- International Development Association (1960)
- European Free Trade Association (EFTA) (1961, until 1994)
- Asian Development Bank (1966)
- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (1969)
- Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) (1973)
- Inter-American Development Bank (1977)
- African Development Bank (1982)
- Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (1988)
- Council of Europe (1989)
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) (1991)
- World Trade Organization (WTO) (1995)
- European Union (EU) (1995)
- Schengen Area (2001)
- INTELSAT (1999)
- NATO Partnership for Peace (1994) and full NATO membership (2023)
NATO
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".Finland’s relationship with NATO began to strengthen immediately after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, when Finland joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC) as an observer in 1992, established for former Warsaw Pact members. Finland started to move closer to NATO by joining the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 1994, developing cooperation in defense matters while maintaining military non-alignment. From the 1990s onwards, Finland built increasingly closer ties with NATO, participating in international crisis management operations and signing a host nation support agreement with NATO in 2014, which defined the principles of assistance during crises and exercises.[16]
Finland has participated in NATO's Partnership for Peace cooperation since 1994. Additionally, Finland became a member of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) in 1997. In 2014, Finland was invited as an advanced partner to join NATO's Enhanced Opportunities Partner (EOP) cooperation. Alongside its involvement in the Enhanced Opportunities cooperation, Finland also promoted trilateral cooperation between NATO, Finland, and Sweden, known as the "30+2" cooperation framework.[26]
As the security environment changed, especially following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Finland’s security policy situation became decisive. Finland decided to apply for NATO membership in May 2022. The Finnish Parliament strongly approved the membership, with opponents in the minority. Finland’s NATO membership came into force on April 4, 2023, making Finland a full member and part of NATO’s collective defense guarantees under Article 5.[27]
This membership marked the end of Finland’s long-standing military non-alignment and strengthened Finland’s security in a changed European security landscape. Finland’s membership also enhances stability and security in the Baltic Sea region and Northern Europe, with Finland actively participating in NATO’s collective defense and decision-making.[28]
Diplomatic relations
List
List of countries which Finland maintains diplomatic relations with:
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Multilateral
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Africa
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Algeria.svg Algeria | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Angola.svg Angola | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Botswana.svg Botswana | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Burundi.svg Burundi | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of the Comoros.svg Comoros |
Comoros is represented in Finland by its embassy in Paris, France.[40] | |
| File:Flag of Djibouti.svg Djibouti | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Ethiopia.svg Ethiopia | July 17, 1959 | See Ethiopia–Finland relations
Ethiopia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland has an embassy in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia is one of Finland's long-term development partners and in the water and education sectors.[43] On April 29, 2009, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development announced that the Finnish government had made a grant of 11.4 million euros to enable the Benishangul-Gumuz Region to upgrade its capacity to plan and manage its rural water supply and sanitation program to achieve universal access for all Ethiopians.[44] |
| File:Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Mozambique.svg Mozambique | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia | Template:Dts | See Finland–Namibia relations
Finland recognised Namibia on March 21, 1990. Both countries established diplomatic relations on the same day. Namibia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland has an embassy in Windhoek and an honorary consulate in Walvis Bay. |
| File:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa | Template:Dts | See Finland – South Africa relations
A South African legation was established in 1967 and relations were then upgraded to ambassadorial level in March 1991.[46] Finland has an embassy in Pretoria, a general consulate in Johannesburg, and a consulate in Cape Town. South Africa is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. During World War II South Africa declared war on Finland.[47] Finland was a strong supporter of the dismantling of Apartheid in South Africa.[47][48][49] South African exports to Finland include fresh and dried fruits, wine, pulp, paper, iron, steel, and coal. South Africa imports telecommunication equipment, paper, board products, and machinery from Finland.[46] |
| File:Flag of Tanzania.svg Tanzania | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Zambia.svg Zambia | Template:Dts |
Americas
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg Antigua and Barbuda | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina | Template:Dts | See Argentina–Finland relations |
| File:Flag of the Bahamas.svg Bahamas | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Barbados.svg Barbados | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Belize.svg Belize | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil | Template:Dts | See Brazil–Finland relations
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| File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada | Template:Dts | See Canada–Finland relations
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| File:Flag of Chile.svg Chile | Template:Dts | See Chile–Finland relations
Chile recognised Finland's independence on June 17, 1919. Diplomatic relations between them were established in 1931 and have been continuously maintained, despite pressures at times to discontinue them.[53] The two countries maintain resident ambassadors in both capitals.[53]
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| File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia | Template:Dts |
The relations between Colombia and Finland are harmonious as both countries share a similar ideology based on democracy, human rights and a lasting peace. It's because of this that Colombia has decided to open an embassy in Helsinki. Colombia also defines Finland as a key player on Colombia's accession into the OECD and the ratification of the Colombia-European Union Trade Agreement.[54] |
| File:Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Cuba.svg Cuba | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Dominica.svg Dominica | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Dominican Republic | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of El Salvador.svg El Salvador | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Grenada.svg Grenada | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Guatemala.svg Guatemala | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Guyana.svg Guyana | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Haiti.svg Haiti | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg Honduras | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Jamaica.svg Jamaica | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico | Template:Dts | See Finland–Mexico relations
Mexico recognized the independence of Finland in July 1920.
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| File:Flag of Nicaragua.svg Nicaragua | Template:Dts | See Finland–Nicaragua relations |
| File:Flag of Panama.svg Panama | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Paraguay.svg Paraguay | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg Saint Kitts and Nevis | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Saint Lucia.svg Saint Lucia | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Suriname.svg Suriname | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Trinidad and Tobago | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | Template:Dts[63] | See Finland–United States relations 5-25-1988 President Reagan meeting with President Mauno Henrik Koivisto during a trip to Finland at the Helsinki airport in Vantaa Relations between the United States and Finland are warm. Some 200,000 US citizens visit Finland annually, and about 3,000 US citizens are resident there. The US has an educational exchange program in Finland that is comparatively large for a Western European country of Finland's size. It is financed in part from a trust fund established in 1976 from Finland's final repayment of a US loan made in the aftermath of World War I. Finland is bordered on the east by Russia and, as one of the former Soviet Union's neighbours, has been of particular interest and importance to the US both during the Cold War and in its aftermath. Before the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, longstanding US policy was to support Finnish neutrality and to maintain and reinforce Finland's historic, cultural, and economic ties with the West. The US has welcomed Finland's increased participation since 1991 in Western economic and political structures. Economic and trade relations between Finland and the United States are active and were bolstered by the F-18 purchase. US-Finland trade totals almost $5 billion annually. The US receives about 7% of Finland's exports – mainly wood pulp and paper, ships, machinery, electronics and instruments and refined petroleum products[64] – and provides about 7% of its imports – principally computers, semiconductors, aircraft, and machinery.
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| File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay | Template:Dts | See Finland–Uruguay relations
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| File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela | Template:Dts |
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Asia
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of the Taliban.svg Afghanistan | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia | Template:Dts | See Armenia–Finland relations
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| File:Flag of Azerbaijan.svg Azerbaijan | Template:Dts | See Azerbaijan–Finland relations
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| File:Flag of Cambodia.svg Cambodia | 20 January 1970[67] | |
| File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China | October 28, 1950[70] | See China–Finland relations
The two international trade organisations are the Finland-China Trade Association and the China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). One of the fastest growing areas of trade between the two countries is in environmental protection.[71][72] and information technology. Nokia is the largest Finnish investor in China. |
| Template:Country data Georgia | Template:Dts | See Finland–Georgia relations
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| File:Flag of India.svg India | Template:Dts | See Finland–India relations |
| File:Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia | Template:Dts | See Finland–Indonesia relations |
| File:Flag of Iran.svg Iran | See Finland–Iran relations Photograph of the Shah and the Shahbanu during their visit to Tapiola residencial area in Espoo, Finland. To their right, the Finnish president Urho Kekkonen. | |
| File:Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Israel.svg Israel | Template:Dts | See Finland–Israel relations
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| File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan | Template:Dts | See Finland–Japan relations
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| File:Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan | Template:Dts[81] |
See Finland–Kazakhstan relations
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| File:Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg Kyrgyzstan | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia | Template:Dts[82] | See Finland–Malaysia relations
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| File:Flag of Nepal.svg Nepal | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of North Korea.svg North Korea | Template:Dts[85] | See Finland–North Korea relations
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| File:Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg Northern Cyprus | Northern Cyprus has a Representative Office in Helsinki.[89] | |
| File:Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan | January 12, 1951 | See Finland–Pakistan relations
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| File:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines | July 14, 1995 |
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| File:Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of the Syrian revolution.svg Syria | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey | Template:Dts | See Finland–Turkey relations
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| File:Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg United Arab Emirates | Template:Dts | See Finland–United Arab Emirates relations
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| File:Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam | Template:Dts | See Finland–Vietnam relations
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Europe
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Albania.svg Albania | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Austria.svg Austria | Template:Dts | See Austria–Finland relations
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| File:Flag of Belarus.svg Belarus | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria | Template:Dts | See Bulgaria–Finland relations
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| File:Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia | Template:Dts | See Croatia–Finland relations
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| File:Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus | Template:Dts | See Cyprus–Finland relations
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| File:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark | Template:Dts | See Denmark–Finland relations
Denmark and Finland share a long history, where Danish Vikings settled in Finland and made crusades. Both countries were also part of the Kalmar Union.[105] Denmark was the first country along with Sweden to recognize Finland's Independence. There are 3,000 Finns living in Denmark, and 1,235 Danes living in Finland. During Winter War, over 1,000 Danish volunteers came to help Finland.[106] During the Winter war and the Continuation war, Denmark took 4,200 Finnish war children.[107] Exports to Denmark value at 1.380 billion euros, and imports from Denmark value at 1.453 billion, making Denmark Finland's 10th largest import-trading partner. The Nordic Culture Fund and the Finnish-Danish Cultural Fund support projects of artists in both countries. Many tourists from Finland visit Denmark, 206,000 in 2017, and vice versa: 113,000 Danish tourists visited Finland in 2017. In 1918 Mannerheim visited Copenhagen, asking if Prince Aage would have wanted to become the King of Finland. |
| File:Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia | Template:Dts | See Estonia–Finland relations
Finland's main language, Finnish, is related to Estonian, and there is and has been a certain feeling of kinship. 76% of Finns have visited Estonia and in 2004, 1.8 million Finns reported visiting Estonia. Finnish and Swedish investors are the largest foreign investors in Estonia.[108] Finland and Estonia are members of the European Union and the Schengen agreement, freeing international travel and trade between the countries. Finland's government recognised Estonia's independence in 1920. In response to the Soviet invasion, diplomatic missions were de facto removed. However, when Estonia declared independence, this "temporary obstruction" was resolved. Both countries restored diplomatic relations on August 29, 1991.
Finland contributed and continues to contribute military aid to Estonia, e.g., training of officers, provision of equipment.
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| File:Flag of France.svg France | Template:Dts | See Finland–France relations
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| File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany | Template:Dts | See Finland–Germany relations
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| File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece | Template:Dts | See Finland–Greece relations
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| File:Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary | Template:Dts | See Finland–Hungary relations
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| File:Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland | Template:Dts | See Finland–Iceland relations
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| File:Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy | Template:Dts | See Finland–Italy relations
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| File:Flag of Kosovo.svg Kosovo | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".
Finland recognised Kosovo March 7, 2008.[119][120] Finland maintains an embassy in Pristina.[121] |
| File:Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia | Template:Dts | See Finland–Latvia relations
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| File:Flag of Lithuania.svg Lithuania | Template:Dts | See Finland–Lithuania relations
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| File:Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Malta.svg Malta | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Montenegro.svg Montenegro | Template:Dts | |
| File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands | Template:Dts | See Finland–Netherlands relations
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| Template:Country data North Macedonia | ||
| File:Flag of Norway.svg Norway | Template:Dts | See Finland–Norway relations
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| File:Flag of Poland.svg Poland | Template:Dts | See Finland–Poland relations
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| File:Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal | Template:Dts | See Finland–Portugal relations
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| File:Flag of Romania.svg Romania | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".
Finland was a part of the Russian Empire for 108 years, after being annexed from the Swedish empire. Discontent with Russian rule, Finnish national identity, and World War I eventually caused Finland to break away from Russia, taking advantage of the fact that Russia was withdrawing from World War I and a revolution was starting in earnest. Following the Finnish Civil War and October Revolution, Russians were virtually equated with Communists and due to official hostility to Communism, Finno-Soviet relations in the period between the world wars remained tense. Voluntary activists arranged expeditions to Karelia (heimosodat), which ended when Finland and the Soviet Union signed the Treaty of Tartu in 1920. However, the Soviet Union did not abide by the treaty when they blockaded Finnish naval ships. Finland was attacked by the Soviet Union in 1939. Finland fought the Winter War and the Continuation War against the Soviets in World War II. During the wars, the Finns suffered 90,000 casualties and inflicted severe casualties on the Russians (120,000 dead in the Winter War and 200,000 in the Continuation War). Contemporary issues include problems with border controls causing persistent truck queues at the border, airspace violations, pollution of the Baltic Sea, and Russian duties on exported wood to Finland's pulp and paper industry. Russia also considered large swathes of land near the Finnish border as special security area where foreign land ownership is forbidden. A similarly extensive restriction does not apply to Russian citizens. The Finnish Defence Forces and Finnish Security Intelligence Service have suspected that Russians have made targeted land purchases near military and other sensitive installations for intelligence or special operations purposes.[131][132] Right-wing commentators accuse the government of continuing the policy of Finlandisation. Recently, Finland-Russia relations have been under pressure with annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, which Finland considers illegal. Together with the rest of the European Union, Finland enforces sanctions against Russia that followed. Still, economic relations have not entirely deteriorated: 11.2% of imports to Finland are from Russia, and 5.7% of exports from Finland are to Russia, and cooperation between Finnish and Russian authorities continues.[133]
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| File:Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia | Template:Dts | See Finland–Serbia relations |
| File:Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia | Template:Dts |
Tensions between the countries rose in late 2008 when a news program on Finland's national broadcasting company station YLE accused Finnish weapons manufacturer Patria of bribing Slovenian officials to secure an arms deal. Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša formally complained to the Finnish ambassador in Ljubljana.[137] This controversy became known as the Patria case. |
| File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain | Template:Dts | See Finland–Spain relations
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| File:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".
Finland and Sweden have always had very close relations, resulting from shared history, numerous commonalities in society and politics, and close trade relations. A newly appointed Foreign Minister makes his or her first state visit to Sweden. Finnish politicians often consider Sweden's reaction to international affairs first as a base for further actions, and thus finally both countries often agree on such issues. If there has ever been any dissonance between the two countries those were the Åland question in the early 1920s and the Swedish declaration of non-belligerent status during the Winter War. Finland and Sweden are members of the European Union and the Schengen agreement, freeing international travel and trade between the countries. Furthermore, both participate in the Nordic Council, which grants Swedish nationals slightly more extensive rights than the EU/Schengen treaties alone.
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| File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland | Template:Dts |
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| File:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey | Template:Dts | See Turkey in Asia Above |
| File:Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine | Template:Dts | See Finland–Ukraine relations
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| File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom | Template:Dts[63] | See Finland–United Kingdom relations
|
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Oceania
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".
Diplomatic relations were established on May 31, 1949.
|
| File:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand | Template:Dts | Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".
|
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International organization participation
<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
- AfDB
- AsDB
- Australia Group
- BIS
- CBSS
- CCC
- CE
- CERN
- EAPC
- EBRD
- ECE
- EIB
- ESA
- File:Flag of Europe.svg EU
- File:FAO logo.svg FAO
- G-9
- IADB
- File:Flag of IAEA.svg IAEA
- IBRD
- File:Flag of IAEA.svg ICAO
- ICC
- File:International Criminal Court logo.svg ICC
- File:Emblem of the ICRC.svg ICRM
- IDA
- IEA
- IFAD
- IFC
- File:Emblem of the IFRC.svg IFRCS
- IHO
- File:Flag of ILO.svg ILO
- IMF
- File:Flag of the International Maritime Organization.svg IMO
- ITUC
- Interpol
- Template:Country data IOC
- IOM
- ISO
- ITU
- MINURSO
- File:Flag of NATO.svg NATO
- File:Flag of the Nordic Council.svg NC
- NEA
- File:Nordic Investment Bank logo.svg NIB
- NSG
- File:Flag of the Organization of American States.svg OAS (observer)
- OECD
- OPCW
- File:OSCE logo.svg OSCE
- File:Logo of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, The Hague.png PCA
- PFP
- File:Flag of the United Nations.svg UN
- UNCTAD
- File:Flag of UNESCO.svg UNESCO
- UNHCR
- UNIDO
- UNIKOM
- UNITAR
- UNMEE
- UNMIBH
- UNMIK
- UNMOGIP
- UNMOP
- UNOMIG
- UNTAET
- UNTSO
- File:Flag of UPU.svg UPU
- File:Flag of the Western European Union.svg WEU (observer)
- WFTU
- File:Flag of WHO.svg WHO
- WIPO
- File:Flag of the World Meteorological Organization.svg WMO
- WTrO
- Zangger Committee
Sub-national government participation
File:Flag of Åland.svg Åland Islands
See also
- Finland under Swedish rule
- Grand Duchy of Finland
- Finland–NATO relations
- Politics of Finland
- Arctic policy of Finland
- Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Finland)
- List of diplomatic missions in Finland
- Visa requirements for Finnish citizens
- Pulp mill conflict between Argentina and Uruguay (for the conflict over the installation of a pulp mill by the Finnish company Botnia in Uruguay, across the Uruguay River)
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
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- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Footnotes".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Footnotes".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Footnotes".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Michael Jones (2013). "Leningrad: State of Siege". Basic Books. p. 38. Template:ISBN
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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- ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ "Finland's foreign policy idea" Template:Webarchive ("Suomen ulkopolitiikan idea"), Risto E. J. Penttilä, 2008
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ "Ethiopia, Finland sign 11.4 million Euro grant agreement" Template:Webarchive, Ethiopian News Agency (accessed April 29, 2009)
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Embassy of Turkey in Helsinki (in Turkish and Finnish) Template:Webarchive
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- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Talvisodan historia osa 4, s. 52., virolaisten osalta Mattila 1999
- ↑ http://www.sotalapset.fi/ Sotalapsiliitto
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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Sources
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Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Finland topics Script error: No such module "Navbox".