Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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165. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on his meeting with the Finnish Foreign Minister; if enhanced co-operation around security and defence at an EU level was discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31903/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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On 7 June 2022 I visited Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden.  While there I met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Finland, Mr Pekka Haavisto.

During our meeting, I discussed Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the security situation in Europe, Ireland’s Presidency of the UN Security Council and the Northern Ireland Protocol. 

Ireland and Finland are like-minded, partnership-orientated EU member states. The visit to Finland was an opportunity to discuss and highlight Ireland’s continuing solidarity and support of Ukraine. Our focus remains on responding to the conflict, in particular through efforts to ease the plight of the Ukrainian people and to hold the Russian leadership to account. I also discussed with Minister Haavisto Ireland’s position in favour of the strongest possible sanctions against Russia, and our support for Ukraine’s application to join the European Union.

The visit also came following the application of Finland to join NATO, made alongside Sweden on 18 May 2022. This application is indicative of the wider change in the security situation across Europe. It is the clear right of every sovereign and independent State to choose their own foreign policy and to ensure the security and defence of their territories. I assured Minister Haavisto that Ireland supports Finland in making those choices.

Ireland and Finland are both committed to a well-functioning system of multilateralism and are committed UN member states. During our meeting we also discussed Ireland’s current membership of the UN Security Council and the importance of the rules based international order.

We also had the opportunity to discuss in more detail the EU-UK relationship and the current situation in respect of the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, how we support the Commission in continuing to seek dialogue with the UK and we encourage the UK to respond with a similar approach. 

Ireland and Finland are this year celebrating 60 years of Diplomatic Relations and this meeting was an opportunity to mark that anniversary in person, and to commit to ongoing strong and positive relations between our countries, including as Ireland implements the Nordic Strategy which was published on 1 June 2021. It was also an opportunity to thank Minister Haavisto in person for the assistance provided by Finland to Ireland during the evacuation from Afghanistan in late summer 2021.

In addition to my meeting with Minister Haavisto, while in Helsinki I also met with the Minister of Defence of Finland, Antti Kaikkonen and visited the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats.