German Chancellor Angela Merkel has begun her first visit to Finland since 2006. On Monday afternoon she is meeting with her Finnish counterpart, Prime Minister Alexander Stubb.
Merkel’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union is aligned in the European Parliament with Stubb’s conservative National Coalition Party (NCP). Stubb himself is a former member of the European Parliament, minister for European affairs and foreign minister.
He has not denied speculation that the timing of Merkel's visit comes at a crucial time for the NCP, just over a week before voting begins in parliamentary elections. The official agenda of the visit includes discussions about the eurozone economy and Ukraine.
Broadcasts live on yle.fi
Merkel and Stubb were scheduled to meet at 1 pm, with a joint press conference to begin at 3 pm. Yle Areena is broadcasting the press conference live online.
Stubb began with an improvised introduction in German.
The chancellor is then scheduled to meet briefly with President Sauli Niinistö, a former NCP chair.
The two premiers will then attend a seminar on EU security at the University of Helsinki, followed by another press conference at 4.30 pm. This too will be webcast on Yle Areena.
Merkel, dubbed ‘the world’s most powerful woman’ by Forbes magazine and others, is Europe’s longest-ruling head of government. Stubb is the fourth Finnish prime minister who she has met with since becoming chancellor a decade ago.