PM to visit St Petersburg, Paris on Sep 21, 22

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä will meet the President of France Emmanuel Macron in Paris on September 22 and discuss topical EU affairs including the development of the defence dimension, EMU, migration and bio-economy, said an official press release.

The agenda of this first official meeting between Prime Minister Sipilä and President Macron also includes LULUCF. Before this the two leaders have had discussions at the European Council and over telephone.

Sipilä will also visit St Petersburg in Russia on September 21 and will meet his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, said another press release issued by the government.

Sipilä and Medvedev will hold discussions on bilateral matters, such as promoting economic relations. They will also talk about the relations between the EU and Russia and about regional cooperation.

In addition, both prime ministers will be talking at the opening of the Finnish-Russian Cultural Forum in St Petersburg.

The theme of the opening at the Cultural Forum is ‘The hundred faces of culture’, and it is the most significant event in Russia relating to the celebration of Finland's 100 years of independence.

Prime Minister Sipilä’s programme also includes a visit to ‘Finland House’.