Title: “Finland’s President Addresses UN, Advocates for Peace in Ukraine

President Sauli Niinistö delivered Finland’s national speech at the UN General Assembly in New York, marking a year since he condemned Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine during his previous UN address. The speech emphasized the importance of preventing the Ukrainian conflict from becoming a prolonged struggle and stressed the need to continue peace talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Niinistö’s speech was originally scheduled for around 20:00 Finnish time but occurred earlier than anticipated. On the same day, the presidents of Estonia and South Korea also addressed the general assembly.

During his previous UN speech a year ago, President Niinistö strongly criticized Russia for its cruel and unprovoked war in Ukraine, a violation of the UN Charter.

Niinistö’s visit to New York included several bilateral meetings, and he also participated in a speech hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the Sustainable Development Summit.

Accompanying the president in New York are Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen (kok) and Minister of Foreign Trade and Development City Tavio (ps). Niinistö’s spouse, Jenni Haukio, is also in New York and will participate in a discussion on Nordic literature alongside Eliza Reid, the wife of the Icelandic president, and writer Neil Gaiman.

The national speeches of world leaders will continue at the UN General Assembly until Tuesday, allowing nations to address global issues and share their perspectives on international affairs.