President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska paid an official visit to Finland on Wednesday 19 March 2025. The visit was hosted by President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb and his spouse Suzanne Innes-Stubb.
The formal talks held at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki focused on Finland’s support for Ukraine and steps to end Russia’s war of aggression.
We will stand by your side
President Stubb and President Zelenskyy told about their discussions at a joint press conference. According to President Stubb, the first step in achieving peace is a ceasefire.
“Ukraine wants peace, Finland wants peace, Europe wants peace. Russia, on the other hand, still has to show that it wants peace,” President Stubb said.
According to the President, we need to increase our efforts to strengthen Ukraine and ratchet up pressure on Russia if it does not agree to a ceasefire.
“There are only two ways to respond to the ceasefire proposal: it’s a yes, like Ukraine, or a no. No buts, no conditions,” President Stubb stressed.
The President emphasized that Ukraine is part of Europe, part of the Euro-Atlantic community, and hoped that Ukraine would soon become a member of the EU and NATO. The President praised the Ukrainians for their perseverance and resilience.
“We Finns appreciate and understand this. Finnish people have donated over 100 million euros to Ukrainians in support. Finnish defence and tech industries have supported Ukraine in defending its independence. We Finns understand what you are going through. We will stand by your side for as long as it takes”, President Stubb said.
The formal talks at the Presidential Palace were attended by Minister of Finance Riikka Purra, Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen and Minister of Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen.
The talks were followed by a working lunch with the participation of representatives of defence companies.
President Zelenskyy’s programme also included meetings with Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.
Visits to the University of Helsinki and Merihaka civil protection shelter
In the afternoon, Presidents Stubb and Zelenskyy and their spouses met with Finnish university students at the University of Helsinki, after which the Presidents held a public discussion on Europe’s efforts to achieve a just peace in Ukraine.
The day ended with a visit to Merihaka civil defence shelter, where President Zelenskyy was introduced to the Finnish civil protection system. On the occasion of the visit, Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine Herman Smetanin of Ukraine signed a joint letter of intent to intensify cooperation on civil defence shelters.
During the visit, Mrs Suzanne Innes-Stubb and Mrs Olena Zelenska had a separate programme in addition to the joint programme. The First Ladies visited the primary school Jokirinteen peruskoulu in Kirkkonummi together with Minister of Education Anders Adlercreutz. The programme also includes a meeting with the Rector of the University of Helsinki, the President of Tampere University and professors from both universities.
