Finland, Estonia to boost bilateral defence cooperation

He said that in the EU, Finland and Estonia share many common interests. “Our security brings us together. For both of us, the anchor of our security lies in the EU and NATO. This does not prevent us from further developing our regional cooperation,” Stubb said. Earlier in the morning Estonian President Alar Karis, accompanied by First Lady Sirje Karis started a two-day state visit to Finland. The visit provides further opportunities to deepen bilateral relations between the countries and to strengthen cooperation in security and defence technologies, as well as in the field of culture. Stubb and First Lady Innes-Stubb received the Estonian presidential couple at an official welcome ceremony in front of the Presidential Palace in Helsinki. After the welcome ceremony, the Presidents held a discussion where they focused the security situation in the Baltic Sea region and regional cooperation, Russias illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and transatlantic relations. The first day´s programme included a luncheon hosted by Mayor Daniel Sazonov at Helsinki City Hall and a visit to the Parliament of Finland and a meeting with Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho. The Estonian head of state also met Prime Minister Petteri Orpo at the Prime Ministers official residence Kesäranta. In the afternoon, the presidential couples visited the Oodi Central Library in Helsinki, where Stubb and Karis engaged in discussions on literature and reading, and read books to pupils from Latokartano Comprehensive School. The first day of the visit concluded with a state banquet hosted by the President and the First Lady. On Wednesday, Karis and his spouse will lay wreaths at the Hietaniemi Cemetery and the Old Church Park. Then, the presidential couples will visit the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma. After that, the presidents will participate in a Finnish-Estonian business event focusing on security and defence technologies. The visiting President will also visit to the National Defence University in Santahamina, where Karis will give an address entitled Defending Tomorrow Together: The Baltic Sea Region in a Stronger Europe. The programme will then continue with a visit to Aalto University and a presentation of the universitys satellite laboratory, as well as a demonstration of the Aalto Ice and Wave Tank, designed to test ships and other maritime structures in ice conditions.