Finland’s foreign minister visits Washington en route to Arctic Council summit

Foreign Minister Timo Soini began a visit to the United States on Monday. He will first visit the nation’s capital Washington, DC and travel on to the 10th Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska.

The Foreign Ministry said that Soini means to “extend Finnish political connections to the United States and strengthen international relations”.

Soini also intends to take part in a conference in Washington focusing on issues such as trans-Atlantic cooperation, Russian concerns and Arctic issues.

The Ministry also said that Soini will meet members of President Donald Trump’s cabinet.

On Thursday Soini wil meet his US counterpart, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in Alaska.

“Ministerial-level representatives from the eight Arctic States will convene to review and approve work completed under the two-year US Chairmanship to improve sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic,” the Council’s page states.

This story is posted on Independent Barents Observer as part of Eye on the Arctic, a collaborative partnership between public and private circumpolar media organizations.