Finland

HELSINKI, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Politicians in Finland are divided over the possibility of the country donating Hornet fighter jets to Ukraine as per Kyiv's request.

The controversy started when Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin visited Ukraine in early March and said that her government may be open to donating Hornets to the country.

Finland purchased Hornet fighter jets from the United States in the mid-1990s. By 2030, they will be replaced with U.S.-made Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighters, the first of which will arrive in the country in 2026.

HELSINKI, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The Finnish Foreign Ministry has authorized a ship loaded with Russian fertilizers anchored in the Port of Kotka to continue its voyage, according to its Thursday press release.

The ship was previously unable to depart as the cargo was confirmed to be connected with a person on an EU sanctions list.

Departure is permitted on the condition that the fertilizers are exported to a third country to address food security.

The ministry says that the ship may leave the port within the next few days and no later than a week.

HELSINKI (AP) — Sweden’s prime minister acknowledged Tuesday that it is likely that neighbor Finland will join NATO before his country does, due to Turkey’s opposition to the Swedish bid.

Ulf Kristersson said during a news conference in Stockholm on Tuesday that it has been clear since NATO’s Madrid summit in June that Finland’s road into membership has been smoother than Sweden’s, and that it is now increasingly likely that Finland will enter NATO first.

HELSINKI, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Hungary calls for a United Nations (UN) investigation into the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines, which American investigative journalist has claimed were destroyed by the United States, reported Helsinki Times on Tuesday.

The Nord Stream pipelines, which connected Russia to Germany, were deliberately destroyed in September 2022, contributing to Europe's energy dependence on the United States and prompting European countries to support the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, according to the Finnish daily.

19 Feb 2023; MEMO: Finland has announced that it still wants to join the NATO alliance alongside its neighbour Sweden, despite chances that Turkiye will approve Helsinki's bid separately.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference today, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin stated that "We have sent a very clear signal and a very clear message to Turkiye and also to Hungary…that we want enter NATO together and this is in the interest of everyone".

HELSINKI, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Finland's foreign minister said on Tuesday a time-out of a few weeks was needed in Finland and Sweden's talks with Turkey on their application to join the NATO military alliance.

Turkey's president said on Monday that Sweden should not expect his country's support after a protest near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm at the weekend, which included the burning of a copy of the Koran.

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland’s top diplomat appeared to suggest Tuesday that the country may have to join NATO without Sweden after Turkey’s president cast doubt on the expansion of the military alliance.

“We still have to evaluate the situation if it turns out that Sweden’s application is stalling for a long time to come,” Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told Finnish broadcaster YLE.

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland’s defense minister made a stirring argument for his country’s new gender-neutral parental leave system when he announced he would be stepping aside in few weeks to take care of his 6-month-old son, reassuring the nation that it would be in good hands amid a regional security crisis.

While most Finns have shrugged off Antti Kaikkonen’s decision to take leave and the policy is in line with those in neighboring countries, it’s still not common for male politicians in Nordic states to make use of their parental leave.

HELSINKI, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Russia's invasion of Ukraine has shown that Europe is too reliant on the United States for its own security, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Friday.

Speaking at a think tank in Sydney, Australia, Marin advocated boosting Europe's defence capabilities, including arms production.

"I must be brutally honest with you, Europe isn't strong enough right now. We would be in trouble without the United States," Marin told an audience at the Lowy Institute.

HELSINKI, Nov 24 (Reuters) - The European Union is pressing ahead with a ninth sanctions package on Russia in response to Moscow's attack on Ukraine, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said during a visit to Finland on Thursday.

"We are working hard to hit Russia where it hurts to blunt even further its capacity to wage war on Ukraine and I can announce today that we are working full speed on a ninth sanctions package," von der Leyen told a news conference.