Summary:
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland is still aiming at organizing an Arctic region summit. Leading Arctic cooperation expert René Söderman from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the summit is still part of Finland’s Arctic Council presidency agenda. President Sauli Niinistö has been active in promoting the idea to both Russia and the United States, and the matter was mentioned during President Niinistö’s recent phone call with President Donald Trump.

Pertti Salolainen, vice-chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, says the committee has not received a report on phonecall between President Niinistö and President Trump, but he confirms that the summit is being worked on. Salolainen says that the summit would be good for Finland’s profile and that Finland, as a Western country, could promote dialogue between the East and the West.

Söderman adds that Finland is prepared to organize the summit on a tight schedule and that Finns have experience with demanding logistical arrangements.

Media:  Ilkka
Date: 25.4.2018
Journalist: Johanna Puukka
Main source: