Stubb starts U.S. visit, stresses need for UN reform

President Alexander Stubb on Sunday started his U.S. visit amidst joining the UN Summit of the Future in New York.

The President also held several bilateral meetings with the leaders of different countries on the sidelines of the summit on the first day of the five-day visit where he underscored the need to reforms of the United Nations and peaceful solution of conflicts in different regions.

“Nice seeing my friend President Williams Ruto. We agree on many things, including the need for UN reform. The choice is simple: multilateral cooperation or multipolar disorder,” Stubb wrote in a post on his social media platform X after meeting his Kenyan counterpart, Williams Ruto.

Ruto also said that the Kenya and Finland enjoy strong bilateral ties, strengthened through collaborations on areas of shared interests.

“We are keen on enhancing our partnership to empower our citizens as well as advance global goals such as peace, security, and climate action,” Ruto wrote in a post on X after the meeting.

Stubb also met with President of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo discussed various global and regional issues.

“We discussed among other things the reform of the UN and the situation in Sahel. To maintain peace and stability, we need functional multilateral systems, both at the global and regional,” Stubb wrote in another post on X.

He also held discussion with President of Senegal Diomaye Faye and discussed need for peace solutions in Sahel, Sudan and Ukraine.

Stubb will deliver Finland's National Statement at the Assembly’s General Debate on September 25.

He will attend the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) leaders’ meeting on tackling climate change and biodiversity loss, a luncheon discussion on geopolitics organised by the World Economic Forum, and a reception hosted by the President of the United States President Joe Biden and his spouse Jill Biden.

The Finnish delegation led by the President included Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio and Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.