President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb paid an official visit to Türkiye on Tuesday 1 October 2024.
President Stubb met with President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The discussions focused on Finland’s and Türkiye’s bilateral relations and cooperation in NATO, the wars in Ukraine and Palestine, international cooperation and Finland’s forthcoming OSCE Chairpersonship.
“The relations between Finland and Türkiye are closer than ever before. This year we celebrate the centenary of the Treaty of Friendship between our countries, and as NATO allies, we continue to build on our long-standing cooperation“, President Stubb said.
Risk of escalation
The Presidents discussed the situation in the Middle East and the risk of regional escalation, which has increased significantly in recent days. According to President Stubb, an immediate ceasefire is needed in the Middle East.
President Stubb pointed out that there are opportunities for cooperation also in the international arena: Türkiye is a like-minded actor in the UN, and Finland and Türkiye co-chair the UN Group of Friends of Mediation. Türkiye’s geographical location makes it a key player in the Middle East. “The increasing complexity of conflicts makes both bilateral and multilateral cooperation even more important.“
In his meeting with Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, the President emphasised that the cooperation between the parliaments of Finland and Türkiye are strong. Other issues discussed included Ukraine, Gaza and the changes in international institutions. The fight against terrorism is another important common theme: “We in Finland condemn terrorism in all of its different forms,” President Stubb said.
Empathy, optimism and realism
In the morning, President Stubb participated in the Martti Ahtisaari Legacy Seminar, organised by the CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, Bilkent University and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
In his address, the President highlighted President Ahtisaari’s personality: a combination of empathy, optimism and realism. President Ahtisaari, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, mediated around the world and negotiated peace on three continents, with his greatest achievements in Namibia, Aceh and Kosovo. “Martti Ahtisaari was also a great friend of Türkiye,” said President Stubb.
Later in the day, President Stubb attended the launch of a book on the history of the Tatar community in Finland. The President pointed out that the Tatars are an excellent example of how a community can be integrated into Finnish society while preserving its cultural characteristics.
The program also included a wreath-laying ceremony at the Atatürk Mausoleum.
The day concluded with a dinner hosted by President Erdoğan.
President Stubb’s delegation included Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen.
