Putin to visit Finland on July 27

Russian President Vladimir Putin will make an official visit to Finland on July 27, the Finnish president’s office said in a press release on Wednesday.

President Sauli Niinistö will accord a reception to his visiting Russian counterpart in Punkaharju, Savonlinna.

The presidents will have their official discussion at Hotel Punkaharju. The topics of discussion include bilateral relations and topical international issues.

The visit also commemorates Finland’s 100 years of independence.

From Punkaharju, the presidents will take a steam ship cruise on Lake Saimaa, ending in the Olavinlinna Castle.

At the castle, the presidents will have dinner hosted by the City of Savonlinna and enjoy Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s opera Iolanta at the Savonlinna Opera Festival. It is a Bolshoi Theatre guest production.

The last time Niinistö and Putin met was in March 2017 at the Arctic Conference in Arkhangelsk, Russia.

Putin’s last visit to Finland was in July 2016 when the presidents met at Finnish president’s summer house in Kultaranta.