Finland, Sweden vow to boost bilateral ties

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson on Friday met in Stockholm where they agreed to intensify their cooperation, said a government press release.

Orpo made the visit at the invitation of Kristersson for the first time after taking over as the Prime Minister.

The meeting took place at the Swedish Prime Minister’s summer residence Harpsund.

The Prime Ministers agreed that the governments of Finland and Sweden would meet next year where they will highlight the close relations between the countries in different sectors and to intensify regional cooperation.

“In a rapidly changing world, the relations between Finland and Sweden are increasingly important. We have centuries of common history, shared values and a similar cultural heritage. Promoting security in Northern Europe and particularly in the Baltic Sea region is of utmost importance to both countries. In the future, we will also engage in close cooperation within NATO,” Orpo said after the meeting.

Following their discussions, Orpo and Kristersson reiterated their strong support for Ukraine. Both Prime Ministers have met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within the past week. Prime Minister Orpo visited Ukraine earlier this week.

At Harpsund, the Prime Ministers also discussed bilateral relations between Finland and Sweden, defence cooperation, the overall security situation and other international issues.

Topical EU matters, including forests, competitiveness and the green transition, were also on the agenda.

Before Friday’s meeting, Orpo had met his Swedish counterpart twice this summer: first at the meeting of Nordic Prime Ministers in Iceland and then at the European Council in Brussels.