Helsinki: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday embarked on a two-day diplomatic visit to Finland, where he is set to engage in a series of meetings with Finnish officials, including his counterpart Elina Valtonen.
According to Anadolu Agency, Fidan's itinerary includes a meeting with Jussi Halla-aho, the Finnish parliament speaker, and a speech at the Finnish parliament on Trkiye-Finland Cooperation. Fidan also met with the president and representatives of the Tatar community's Finnish-Islamic congregation in Helsinki, as confirmed by a post on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
During his meetings, Fidan is expected to emphasize the importance of enhancing Turkish-Finnish relations, particularly in trade, investment, and defense industries. He aims to strengthen cooperation in technology, cybersecurity, financial technologies, and renewable energy. Fidan will also highlight joint initiatives in the Arctic region as a way to deepen bilateral ties and acknowledge the strong human connections represented by Turkish citizens and the Tatar community in Finland.
Fidan is anticipated to express gratitude for Finland's support of Trkiye's EU membership bid and outline expectations for advancing Trkiye-EU relations, focusing on modernizing the Customs Union and progressing in the visa liberalization dialogue. He will also advocate for continued joint efforts between Trkiye and Finland for global peace through multilateral platforms, emphasizing the Friends of Mediation Groups co-chaired by both nations under the UN and the OSCE.
Acknowledging Finland's recent NATO membership, Fidan will convey Trkiye's belief in Finland's potential contributions to Euro-Atlantic security and affirm Trkiye's commitment to supporting the alliance. He will underscore Trkiye's role in European security and express readiness to facilitate international efforts for peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Regarding Gaza, Fidan will emphasize the need to uphold the ceasefire and ensure humanitarian aid delivery, advocating for improved humanitarian conditions and accelerated reconstruction efforts in the region.
Diplomatic relations between Trkiye and Finland have a longstanding history, established in 1924 with a Treaty of Friendship. The countries initiated the Mediation for Peace initiative under the UN in 2010. Trkiye-Finland trade volume reached approximately $1.8 billion last year, with significant Finnish tourism to Trkiye. The nations solidified their alliance when Finland joined NATO in 2023. The Turkish community in Finland, numbering around 18,000, plays a significant role in the relationship, as noted by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.