Estonian FM visits Finland on first official foreign trip
New Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) made his first official visit on Tuesday, one day after taking office, to Finland.
Tsahkna met with his counterpart Pekka Haavisto and incoming Prime Minister Petteri Orpoin in the Finnish capital. Meetings focused on NATO's upcoming summit in Vilnius and support for Ukraine.
The minister said Finland's accession to NATO "opens new opportunities" for cooperation in the Nordic-Baltic region and to reinforce European security.
He added that Estonia backs Sweden's NATO bid and wants "clear support" in Vilnius for Ukrainian membership.
"We also concentrated on continued support to Ukraine, which is one of our priorities. In addition to full political, economic and military assistance, we also discussed cooperating on reconstruction in Ukraine," Tsahkna said.
Very glad to have my first foreign visit in Helsinki today.
— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) April 18, 2023
In a meeting with President @niinisto we discussed global security, @NATO, enhancing bilateral relations & further supporting #Ukraine to win the war. pic.twitter.com/qQ7obzZHer
He emphasized efforts also need to continue to hold Russian leadership accountable for the crime of aggression, which include the deportation of children and "other brutal acts".
The foreign ministers also discussed economic, energy and green transition bilateral cooperation.
It is traditional for Estonian foreign ministers, prime ministers and presidents to visit Finland on their first official trip abroad.
However, the first call Tsahkna made on Monday after taking office was to Latvian foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics.
The pair discussed bilateral and regional cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Newly appointed FM @Tsahkna held his first call to his counterpart @edgarsrinkevics.
— Estonian MFA | #StandWithUkraine (@MFAestonia) April 17, 2023
Ministers discussed the excellent state of bilateral relations & our further regional co-operation as well as supporting #Ukraine until the war is won.
pic.twitter.com/iLnfEoPj0f
Tomorrow, Tsahkna wil visit Lithuania and meet with Minister of Foreign Affair Gabrielius Landsbergis, Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen and head of the Estonian-Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce Robert Juodka.
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Editor: Helen Wright
