Speech by Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Joakim Strand, Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission 2026

Speech by Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Joakim Strand, Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission 2026

Speech by Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Joakim Strand at the Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission 2026 in Helsinki. Changes possible during the speech.

Distinguished Ambassadors,
Dear colleagues at the Foreign Service,
Dear Friends,

It is again a great pleasure for me to participate in the Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission.

It also provides me an opportunity to express my respect for the work you do on Finland's behalf around the world. At a time when uncertainty has become a part of daily lives, your mission matters more than ever.

Dear Friends,

The Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission is always about more than just an overview of global events.

It is also about how we as Finnish people perceive our place in the world.

What kind world do we see emerging.

What kind of role do we want Finland to play in it.

Looking at the history of Europe, we can detect one permanent feature.

Few generations have experienced stability.

Almost every generation has faced a period of transition that has made the future seem uncertain.

We are no exception.

The security environment has changed fundamentally.

The focus of the global economy is shifting.

Societies are changing at an unprecedented rate due to technological advances.

The rules-based international system is facing challenges.

At the same time, more and more countries are trying to redefine their role in a changing world.

But it is during times like these that the position of Europe and Finland over the next few decades will be determined.

Europe forms the basis of Finland's influence

Dear Friends,

Finland has one great advantage.

We are familiar with history.

We know that a small country cannot make it alone.

Finland has been successful when we have been able to detect the changes in advance, build strong partnerships and anchor ourselves to groups that strengthen our security, economy and influence.

For this reason, the European Union is more than a political project for Finland.

It's a strategic choice.

The European Union is the community through which we exert influence on the world.

Today, many people ask what Europe's role in the world is.

In my opinion, we should ask a different question.

What role would Europe play without the European Union?

What if we did not have the largest single market in the world.

What if we could not negotiate as one bloc.

What if we could not defend our common interests in global competition.

What if we could not respond together to the security challenges that no European country can solve alone.

The answer is clear.

No Member State would be as strong alone as the European Union.

For this reason, a stronger Europe is not an option for Finland.

It's a necessity.

Finland's voice is heard in Europe

The Finnish people are sometimes overly modest.

In reality, Finland's position in the European Union is strong.

We are listened to.

We are trusted.

We have established ourselves as a Member State that looks for solutions even when others see problems.

In the European Union, having the loudest voice does not often guarantee influence.

Instead, gaining trust through reliable assessment does.

Influence belongs to those whose proposals are considered serious.

It belongs to those who stand for Europe's common interest.

Finland enjoys a good reputation in this respect.

No reputation is permanent, however.

It needs to be earned over and over again.

Finland must continue to be ambitious and active and to take initiative in the next years.

We must be directly involved in the decisions that determine Europe's future - not stand on the sidelines.

Competitiveness is part of security in the new era.

Dear Friends,

If I had to name one issue that determines Europe's position over the next decade, that would be competitiveness.

Europe's greatest challenge is not the lack of objectives.

We have plenty of goals.

Implementing them quickly enough is the difficulty.

The world around us will not wait.

Technological competition is becoming more intense.

Investments go to places where the operating environment is predictable, skilled professionals are available and innovations can grow into profitable business.

That is not just economic policy.

It is security policy too.

Economic strength builds strategic capacities.

Competitiveness creates security.

Growth contributes to stability.

For that reason, Finland's message in Europe is consistent.

We need a deeper internal market.

We need more investments.

We need better preconditions for innovations.

We need regulation that enables growth and renewal.

The future of Europe is not built on nostalgia.

It is built on the ability to renew.

Next major decision for Europe.

Dear Friends,

Next year, the European Union will hold one of the most important debates of this decade:

The discussion on the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

Too often, a budget discussion is considered just a technical negotiation about numbers.

In reality, it is much more than that.

The question is what kind of Europe we want to build.

The budget is always a political document.

It tells what we consider important.

And above all, it tells us where we are prepared to allocate our common resources.

Perhaps more than ever before, the expectations on Europe are high.

We need to strengthen our security.

We must support Ukraine.

We must increase investments in defence, security of supply and critical infrastructure.

We must improve our competitiveness.

We must speed up technological development.

At the same time, we must respond to the challenges caused by climate change, population ageing and global competition.

This cannot be achieved with outdated structures.

We need a budget that meets the needs of today and tomorrow.

From Finland's perspective, the next financial framework must reinforce Europe's ability to succeed in a changing world.

It must support research, innovation and growth.

It must improve our security and resilience.

It must create as much value added as possible to European taxpayers.

And it must encourage Member States to reform, invest and build for the future.

Finally, it is not just a question of how much money we spend.

The question is how wisely we spend it.

Europe's success does not depend on the size of the budget.

It will be determined by whether we direct our resources to areas that boost Europe's competitiveness, security and strategic capacity.

This is precisely what the debate in the coming years will be about.

Technology, security and strategic capacity.

You will hear more about artificial intelligence later today.

It will be a good reminder of how quickly the world can change.

In previous decades, the power of states was based on their natural resources and industrial capacity.

Today, information, technology and competence are increasingly crucial.

The countries and regions that are capable of leading technological development will make the rules for tomorrow.

Size is not Finland's strength.

Competence is.

High level of education.

Research.

Creativity.

The ability to connect technology with practical solutions.

These are the strengths on which we can build our future success.

Importance of your work.

Dear Ambassadors,

When we talk about Finland's influence, we ultimately talk about people.

No influence arises from documents.

It arises from trust.

And trust is born out of encounters, relationships and long-term work.

That is what you do every day.

Your job is not only to observe the world.

Your job is to help Finland understand the world.

Recognise the direction of change.

Build partnerships.

Open doors for Finnish companies, research and innovations.

And strengthen Finland's position among decision-makers.

The work combines Finland's foreign policy, the policy on Europe, and economic interests in a way that is more important today than ever before.

Over the next few years, decisions that will affect our continent's role for decades will be taken in the European Union.

These include decisions on competitiveness.

On security.

On technological leadership.

On common resources.

When these discussions take place, Finland should not watch from a distance.

Finland must participate in defining the direction.

And that is what makes your work crucial.

You are the first ones to notice change.

You identify the partners to find common solutions with.

And you help ensure that Finland's voice is heard in places where the future of Europe is being built.

Dear Friends,

When the Europe of the future is being shaped, the future of Finland is also being shaped.

That is why our work in Europe and across the world is so important.

Not only for our generation but also for those who succeed us.

Europa has always been strongest when it has had the courage to renew and the will to stand together.

This is also true today.

Dear Friends,

The history of Finland's foreign policy shows that a small country can exert influence beyond its size.

Not with power.

Not with big words.

But with competence.

With credibility.

And the ability to build trust.

That mission continues today.

In every capital.

In every conference room.

In every meeting where Finland is represented.

When we look to the future, we need to be realistic.

But we also have reason to be trusting.

Europe has its strengths.

Finland has its strengths.

And together we have every opportunity to succeed in this new era too.

Thank you for your work. Thank you for your commitment to Finland.

Thank you.