Valtonen to visit US, meet Blinken

Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will visit Washington DC on October 12, said an official press release on Friday.

She will meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The ministers will discuss bilateral relations between Finland and the United States, topical NATO matters and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

In Washington DC, Valtonen will deliver an address at the Hudson Institute think tank in an event focusing on security policy and bilateral relations between Finland and the United States.

She will also discuss current foreign and security policy questions with representatives of the US Administration and other think tanks.

“The United States is a key strategic partner and ally for Finland. Finland appreciates the United States’ prominent role in NATO and its commitment to European security. The transatlantic bond is strong, and deepening that bond is important for both Europe and the United States. We need closer cooperation in the fields of security, economy and technology,” said Valtonen.