Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks in Helsinki on Tuesday. In the morning, he visited President Sauli Niinistö at his official residence, Mäntyniemi, in western Helsinki's Meilahti district.
According to Niinistö's office, he and Lavrov "had a serious conversation on the situation in Syria and Idlib and the humanitarian distress it causes," with Niinistö calling for an immediate end to civilian suffering.
The two also discussed stability in the Baltic Sea region, a Russian proposal for a P5 summit with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, arms control and other international issues, it said.
Lavrov raises energy cooperation
At noon, Lavrov met with his host, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, at the House of Estates in the Kruununhaka neighbourhood.
The Finnish government said the ministers discussed Ukraine, Syria, the Persian Gulf, international arms control, regional security development in Northern Europe, and other international and bilateral matters.
Story continues after photo
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the ministers discussed issues including the novel coronavirus outbreak. Russia has so far only reported three cases of the virus, while seven have been diagnosed in Finland so far.
At a joint press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Lavrov referred to the proposed Hanhikivi nuclear power plant venture near Raahe as a mutually important project, adding that this also applies to the expansion of Finnish majority-state-owned energy company Fortum's operations in Russia.
A Russian state-owned company has been contracted to build Hanhikivi, which would be Finland's first new nuclear power plant in more than 40 years. It has not yet been granted a construction permit.
Story continues after photo
Lavrov, who has served as foreign minister since 2004, said that there is distrust in relations between Russia and Nato, and complained that Russia's proposals for cooperation have been ignored.
"We respect Finland's policy of not joining the military alliance, which strengthens security in the whole [Baltic Sea] region," Lavrov said.
Haavisto's meeting with Lavrov came just five days after talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington.
Marin speaks with new Russian PM, heads to New York
On Friday, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin held talks by phone with her Russian opposite number, Mikhail Mishustin.
His office says they covered "current issues of Russian-Finnish relations, with a focus on cooperation in nuclear energy and the development of cross-border ties and tourism".
Mishustin took office on 16 January, a day after the surprise resignation of his predecessor, Dmitry Medvedev.
On Thursday, Marin will be in New York for a two-day UN International Women’s Day event.
She is to hold talks with UN Secretary General António Guterres on equality, climate change and other issues. Marin will also hold a lecture at Columbia University entitled “The Climate Sustainable Welfare Society".