Helsinki: President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, held a meeting in Helsinki with President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, where they discussed the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026, the Middle East situation, bilateral relations between Cyprus and Finland, and developments in the Cyprus issue.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides, on a working visit to Helsinki at the invitation of his Finnish counterpart, marked the first visit by a Cypriot President since 2004. He arrived at the Presidential Palace and was welcomed by President Stubb, with a military band honoring the occasion and the national anthems of both countries being played.
President Christodoulides signed the visitors’ book, expressing pleasure in visiting Finland and highlighting the strong bonds of friendship between the two nations, which have been steadily growing through people-to-people contacts over the past 60 years. He noted that this relationship began with the arrival of Finnish peacekeepers in Cyprus in 1964, with over 10,000 Finns serving on the island until 1979, contributing to peace and the prospect of reunification.
He also emphasized that Cyprus’s accession to the EU in 2004 has strengthened cooperation between the countries, particularly in advocating for International Law and universal adherence to its principles. President Christodoulides expressed gratitude for the hospitality received and anticipated that the discussions during his visit would be positive and deepen bilateral relations, especially in light of the upcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU.
The meeting included a one-on-one session between the Presidents and extended talks between the two delegations. The Cypriot delegation consisted of Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanolis, Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna, Ambassador in Helsinki Demetris Samuel, Spokesperson of the Cyprus Presidency of the EU in Nicosia Stella Michael, Member of the Diplomatic Office of the President Nektarios Soteriou, and Director of the Office of the Deputy Minister of Shipping Adonis Pavlides. The discussions were set to conclude with statements to the press and a working dinner.