# Foreign relations of Finland

The foreign relations of Finland are the responsibility of the president of Finland, who leads foreign policy in cooperation with the government. Implicitly the government is responsible for internal policy and decision making in the European Union. Within the government, preparative discussions are conducted in the government committee of foreign and security policy (ulko- ja turvallisuuspoliittinen ministerivaliokunta), which includes the Prime Minister and at least the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defence, and at most four other ministers as necessary. The committee meets with the President as necessary. Laws concerning foreign relations are discussed in the parliamentary committee of foreign relations (ulkoasiainvaliokunta, utrikesutskottet). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs implements the foreign policy.
During the Cold War, Finland's foreign policy was based on official neutrality between the Western powers and the Soviet Union, while simultaneously stressing Nordic cooperation in the framework of the Nordic Council and cautious economic integration with the West as promoted by the Bretton-Woods Agreement and the free trade treaty with the European Economic Community. Finland shares this history with close neighbour Sweden, which Finland was a part of until the split of the Swedish empire in 1809. Finland did not join the Soviet Union's economic sphere (Comecon) but remained a free-market economy and conducted bilateral trade with the Soviet Union. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Finland unilaterally abrogated the last restrictions imposed on it by the Paris peace treaties of 1947 and the Finno-Soviet Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance. The government filed an application for membership in the European Union (EU) three months after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and became a member in 1995. Finland did not attempt to join NATO, even though post-Soviet countries on the Baltic Sea and elsewhere joined. Nevertheless, defence policymakers quietly converted to NATO equipment and contributed troops.
President Martti Ahtisaari and the coalition governments led Finland closer to the core EU in the late 1990s. Finland was considered a cooperative model state, and Finland did not oppose proposals for a common EU defence policy. This was reversed in the 2000s, when Tarja Halonen and Erkki Tuomioja made Finland's official policy to resist other EU members' plans for common defense. However, Halonen allowed Finland to join European Union Battlegroups in 2006 and the NATO Response Force in 2008.
Relations with Russia are cordial and common issues include bureaucracy (particularly at the Vaalimaa border crossing), airspace violations, development aid Finland gives to Russia (especially in environmental problems that affect Finland), and Finland's energy dependency on Russian gas and electricity. Behind the scenes, the administration witnessed a resurrection of Soviet-era tactics as recently as 2017. The Finnish Security Intelligence Service, the nation's security agency, says the known number of Russian agents from Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and GRU now exceeds Cold War levels and there are unknown numbers of others. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in March 2022 that her government would have to respond if Finland became a NATO member.
As of March 2011 Finland maintains diplomatic relations with all UN member states.
All NATO countries approved Finland's accession to the military alliance by April 1, 2023, and it officially joined on April 4. The move was the final process in Finland's transition from conducting a foreign policy of neutrality to clearly standing as an official part of the Western bloc.

## History

After Finland declared its full independence in 1917, the Finnish Civil War, including interventions by Imperial Germany and Soviet Russia, and failure of the Communist revolution, resulted in the official ban on Communism, and strengthening relations with Western countries. Overt alliance with Germany was not possible due to the result of the First World War, but in general the period of 1918 to 1939 was characterised by economic growth and increasing integration to the Western world economy. Relations with Soviet Russia from 1918 to 1939 were icy; voluntary expeditions to Russia called heimosodat ended only in 1922, four years after the conclusion of the Finnish Civil War. However, attempts to establish military alliances were unsuccessful. Thus, when the Winter War broke out, Finland was left alone to resist the Soviet attack. Later, during the Continuation War, Finland declared "co-belligerency" with Nazi Germany, and allowed Northern Finland to be used as a German attack base. For 872 days, the German army, aided indirectly by Finnish forces, besieged Leningrad, the Soviet Union's second-largest city. The peace settlement in 1944 with the Soviet Union led to the Lapland War in 1945, where Finland fought Germans in northern Finland.
From the end of the Continuation War with the Soviet Union in 1944 until 1991, the policy was to avoid superpower conflicts and to build mutual confidence with the Western powers and the Soviet Union. Although the country was culturally, socially, and politically Western, Finns realised they had to live in peace with the Soviets and so could take no action that might be interpreted as a security threat. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 opened up dramatic new possibilities for Finland and has resulted in the Finns actively seeking greater participation in Western political and economic structures. The popular support for the strictly self-defensive doctrine remains.

### 2000 constitution

In the 2000 constitution, where diverse constitutional laws were unified into one statute, the leading role of the President was slightly moderated. However, because the constitution still stipulates only that the President leads foreign policy and the government internal policy, the responsibility over European Union affairs is not explicitly resolved. Implicitly this belongs to the powers of the government. In a cohabitation situation as with Matti Vanhanen's recent second government right-wing government and left-wing President Tarja Halonen, there can be friction between government ministers and the president.
The arrangement has been criticised by Risto E. J. Penttilä for not providing a simple answer of who's in charge.

## Multilateral relations

Finnish foreign policy emphasises its participation in multilateral organisations. Finland joined the United Nations in 1955 and the European Union in 1995. As noted, the country also is a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace as well as an observer in the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. The military has been prepared to be more compatible with NATO, as co-operation with NATO in peacekeeping is needed, but military alliance does not have popular support. Political scientist Teija Tiilikainen has attributed tensions like this one to the importance that Finland's political identity places on sovereignty and the (sometimes competing) stress it places on international cooperation.
In the European Union, Finland is a member of the Eurozone, and in addition, the Schengen treaty abolishing passport controls. 60% of foreign trade is to the EU. Other large trade partners are Russia and the United States.
Finland is well represented in the UN civil service in proportion to its population and belongs to several of its specialised and related agencies. Finnish troops have participated in United Nations peacekeeping activities since 1956, and the Finns continue to be one of the largest per capita contributors of peacekeepers in the world. Finland is an active participant in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and in early 1995 assumed the co-chairmanship of the OSCE's Minsk Group on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Cooperation with the other Scandinavian countries also is important to Finland, and it has been a member of the Nordic Council since 1955. Under the council's auspices, the Nordic countries have created a common labor market and have abolished immigration controls among themselves. The council also serves to coordinate social and cultural policies of the participating countries and has promoted increased cooperation in many fields.
In addition to the organisations already mentioned, Finland is a member of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization, the International Finance Corporation, the International Development Association, the Bank for International Settlements, the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Council of Europe, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Finland has moved steadily towards integration into Western institutions and abandoned its formal policy of neutrality, which has been recast as a policy of military nonalliance coupled with the maintenance of a credible, independent defence. Finland's 1994 decision to buy 64 F-18 Hornet fighter planes from the United States signalled the abandonment of the country's policy of balanced arms purchases from Communist countries and Western countries.
In 1994, Finland joined NATO's Partnership for Peace; the country is also an observer in the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. Finland became a full member of the EU in January 1995, at the same time acquiring observer status in the EU's defence arm, the Western European Union.
In 2003, Anneli Jäätteenmäki of the Centre Party won the elections after she had accused her rival Paavo Lipponen, who was prime minister at the time, of allying neutral Finland with the United States in the war in Iraq during a meeting with President George W. Bush, and thus associated Finland with what many Finns considered an illegal war of aggression. Lipponen denied the claims and declared that "We support the UN and the UN Secretary-General." Jäätteenmäki resigned as prime minister after 63 days in office amid accusations that she had lied about the leak of the documents about the meeting between Bush and Lipponen. This series of events was considered scandalous and it is named Iraq leak or Iraq-gate.
Generally, Finland has abided by the principle of neutrality and has good relations with nearly all countries, as evidenced by the freedom of travel that a Finnish passport gives; though relations with Russia remain strained and are often tense due to past historical grievances, including Russian threats and past invasion.
After almost 30 years of close partnership with NATO, Finland joined the Alliance on 4 April 2023. Finland's partnership with NATO was historically based on its policy of military non-alignment, which changed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. On 1 March 2024, Alexander Stubb, a staunch supporter of NATO, was sworn in as Finland's new president. On 7 March 2024, Stubb made his first foreign trip as Finland's new president to Nato's Nordic Response military exercise in northern Norway.

## Diplomatic relations list

List of countries which Finland maintains diplomatic relations with:
Date :
| 1 | Denmark | 10 January 1918 |
| 2 | Sweden | 10 January 1918 |
| 3 | France | 24 January 1918 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 28 March 1918 |
| 5 | Norway | 6 April 1918 |
| 6 | Argentina | 11 May 1918 |
| 7 | Bulgaria | 19 July 1918 |
| 8 | Netherlands | 14 August 1918 |
| 9 | Spain | 16 August 1918 |
| 10 | Greece | 1 March 1919 |
| 11 | Poland | 8 March 1919 |
| 12 | Japan | 24 May 1919 |
| 13 | United States | 30 May 1919 |
| 14 | Belgium | 9 July 1919 |
| 15 | Italy | 6 September 1919 |
| 16 | Portugal | 10 January 1920 |
| 17 | Romania | 28 June 1920 |
| 18 | Russia | 31 December 1920 |
| 19 | Luxembourg | 24 October 1921 |
| 20 | Egypt | 8 April 1922 |
| 21 | Hungary | 12 April 1922 |
| 22 | Austria | 22 April 1922 |
| 23 | Turkey | 9 December 1924 |
| 24 | Switzerland | 29 January 1926 |
| 25 | Czech Republic | 18 October 1927 |
| 26 | Cuba | 5 April 1929 |
| 27 | Brazil | 8 April 1929 |
| 28 | Serbia | 7 August 1929 |
| 29 | Afghanistan | 15 December 1930 |
| 30 | Chile | 20 February 1931 |
| 31 | Iran | 12 December 1931 |
| 32 | Uruguay | 21 March 1935 |
| 33 | Mexico | 2 October 1936 |
| – | Holy See | 31 July 1942 |
| 34 | Iceland | 15 August 1947 |
| 35 | Canada | 21 November 1947 |
| 36 | South Africa | 15 May 1949 |
| 37 | Australia | 31 May 1949 |
| 38 | India | 10 September 1949 |
| 39 | New Zealand | 22 July 1950 |
| 40 | China | 28 October 1950 |
| 41 | Israel | 14 November 1950 |
| 42 | Pakistan | 12 January 1951 |
| 43 | Syria | 22 May 1953 |
| 44 | Colombia | 26 March 1954 |
| 45 | Venezuela | 31 March 1954 |
| 46 | Myanmar | 21 June 1954 |
| 47 | Thailand | 21 June 1954 |
| 48 | Indonesia | 6 September 1954 |
| 49 | Sri Lanka | 24 September 1954 |
| 50 | Philippines | 14 July 1955 |
| 51 | Lebanon | 21 June 1956 |
| 52 | Albania | 8 June 1956 |
| 53 | Iraq | 15 May 1959 |
| 54 | Ethiopia | 17 July 1959 |
| 55 | Morocco | 17 July 1959 |
| 56 | Tunisia | 17 July 1959 |
| 57 | Jordan | 28 November 1959 |
| 58 | Cameroon | 15 January 1960 |
| 59 | Chad | 12 August 1960 |
| 60 | Mali | 7 October 1960 |
| 61 | Sudan | 27 January 1961 |
| 62 | Guinea | 19 July 1961 |
| 63 | Cyprus | 2 September 1961 |
| 64 | Ireland | 2 November 1961 |
| 65 | Algeria | 18 January 1963 |
| 66 | Nigeria | 18 January 1963 |
| 67 | Peru | 29 March 1963 |
| 68 | Mongolia | 8 July 1963 |
| 69 | Bolivia | 21 September 1963 |
| 70 | Paraguay | 20 November 1963 |
| 71 | Ivory Coast | 18 June 1964 |
| 72 | Malawi | 13 July 1964 |
| 73 | Ecuador | 5 February 1965 |
| 74 | Kenya | 14 June 1965 |
| 75 | Tanzania | 14 June 1965 |
| 76 | Uganda | 14 June 1965 |
| 77 | Libya | 28 September 1965 |
| 78 | Costa Rica | 23 August 1966 |
| 79 | Haiti | 29 September 1966 |
| 80 | Republic of the Congo | 22 March 1967 |
| 81 | El Salvador | 14 April 1967 |
| 82 | Guatemala | 18 August 1967 |
| 83 | Zambia | 8 March 1968 |
| 84 | Senegal | 31 January 1969 |
| 85 | Kuwait | 21 February 1969 |
| 86 | Malta | 21 February 1969 |
| 87 | Saudi Arabia | 6 June 1969 |
| 88 | Cambodia | 20 January 1970 |
| 89 | Liberia | 24 March 1970 |
| 90 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 3 April 1970 |
| 91 | Central African Republic | 22 May 1970 |
| 92 | Somalia | 12 March 1971 |
| 93 | Trinidad and Tobago | 17 December 1971 |
| 94 | Bangladesh | 5 May 1972 |
| 95 | Malaysia | 17 November 1972 |
| 96 | Germany | 7 January 1973 |
| 97 | Vietnam | 25 January 1973 |
| 98 | Singapore | 7 February 1973 |
| 99 | Oman | 1 April 1973 |
| 100 | North Korea | 1 June 1973 |
| 101 | South Korea | 24 August 1973 |
| 102 | Mauritius | 31 October 1973 |
| 103 | Qatar | 1 April 1974 |
| 104 | Guinea-Bissau | 9 August 1974 |
| 105 | Nepal | 21 September 1974 |
| 106 | Bahrain | 20 December 1974 |
| 107 | Laos | 1 January 1975 |
| 108 | Panama | 1 January 1975 |
| 109 | United Arab Emirates | 21 February 1975 |
| 110 | Mozambique | 18 July 1975 |
| 111 | Niger | 28 November 1975 |
| 112 | Nicaragua | 22 December 1975 |
| 113 | Honduras | 30 January 1976 |
| 114 | Angola | 18 September 1976 |
| 115 | Madagascar | 1 June 1977 |
| 116 | Papua New Guinea | 31 September 1977 |
| 117 | Barbados | 1 December 1977 |
| 118 | Fiji | 1 December 1977 |
| 119 | Ghana | 1 December 1977 |
| 120 | Jamaica | 1 December 1977 |
| 121 | Comoros | 19 December 1977 |
| 122 | Botswana | 1 July 1978 |
| 123 | Lesotho | 1 February 1979 |
| 124 | Mauritania | 1 March 1979 |
| 125 | São Tomé and Príncipe | 1 March 1979 |
| 126 | Guyana | 2 April 1979 |
| 127 | Yemen | 1 June 1979 |
| 128 | Kiribati | 24 August 1979 |
| 129 | Burundi | 1 January 1980 |
| 130 | Burkina Faso | 15 February 1980 |
| 131 | Grenada | 1 June 1980 |
| 132 | Vanuatu | 31 July 1980 |
| 133 | Zimbabwe | 1 August 1980 |
| 134 | Rwanda | 1 June 1983 |
| 135 | Cape Verde | 22 July 1983 |
| 136 | Dominican Republic | 2 January 1984 |
| 137 | Maldives | 10 August 1984 |
| 138 | Bhutan | 1 May 1986 |
| 139 | Seychelles | 1 April 1987 |
| 140 | Gabon | 20 May 1988 |
| 141 | Gambia | 1 September 1988 |
| 142 | Brunei | 11 November 1988 |
| 143 | Benin | 22 December 1988 |
| 144 | Namibia | 21 March 1990 |
| 145 | Eswatini | 20 September 1990 |
| 146 | Estonia | 29 August 1991 |
| 147 | Latvia | 29 August 1991 |
| 148 | Lithuania | 29 August 1991 |
| 149 | Slovenia | 17 February 1992 |
| 150 | Croatia | 19 February 1992 |
| 151 | Belarus | 26 February 1992 |
| 152 | Moldova | 26 February 1992 |
| 153 | Tajikistan | 26 February 1992 |
| 154 | Ukraine | 26 February 1992 |
| 155 | Uzbekistan | 26 February 1992 |
| 156 | Kyrgyzstan | 23 March 1992 |
| 157 | Azerbaijan | 24 March 1992 |
| 158 | Armenia | 25 March 1992 |
| 159 | Kazakhstan | 13 May 1992 |
| 160 | Turkmenistan | 11 June 1992 |
| 161 | Liechtenstein | 26 June 1992 |
| 162 | Georgia | 8 July 1992 |
| 163 | Slovakia | 1 January 1993 |
| 164 | Eritrea | 28 May 1993 |
| 165 | Tonga | 1 December 1993 |
| 166 | North Macedonia | 17 December 1993 |
| 167 | Marshall Islands | 26 December 1993 |
| 168 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 29 December 1994 |
| 169 | Andorra | 17 July 1995 |
| 170 | San Marino | 17 July 1995 |
| 171 | Belize | 19 June 1997 |
| 172 | Solomon Islands | 16 July 1999 |
| 173 | Samoa | 11 August 1999 |
| 174 | Timor-Leste | 20 June 2002 |
| 175 | Suriname | 28 June 2005 |
| 176 | Bahamas | 2 December 2005 |
| 177 | Montenegro | 12 June 2006 |
| 178 | Djibouti | 14 March 2007 |
| 179 | Monaco | 29 March 2007 |
| 180 | Equatorial Guinea | 30 April 2008 |
| 181 | Sierra Leone | 17 June 2008 |
| 182 | Antigua and Barbuda | 26 September 2008 |
| — | Kosovo | 3 February 2009 |
| 183 | Tuvalu | 6 March 2009 |
| 184 | Nauru | 24 March 2009 |
| 185 | Palau | 5 May 2009 |
| 186 | Dominica | 19 August 2009 |
| 187 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 11 September 2009 |
| 188 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 22 September 2009 |
| 189 | Saint Lucia | 22 September 2009 |
| 190 | Federated States of Micronesia | 4 May 2010 |
| 191 | Togo | 12 May 2010 |
| 192 | South Sudan | 29 June 2012 |

### Multilateral

| Organization | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
| United Nations | 1955 | See Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations |
| Nordic Council | 1955 | Former Prime Minister of Finland Jyrki Katainen in Nordic Council back in 2011 Helsinki Treaty signed in 1962 Ilkka-Christian Björklund Secretary-General of the Nordic Council 1982 – 1987 Gehard af Schultén was Secretary-General of the Nordic Council 1987 – 1989 Jan-Erik Enestam was Secretary-General of the Nordic Council from 1 August 2007 – 2013 |
| OSCE | 1973 | See Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs Olavi J. Mattila, Prime Minister Keijo Liinamaa and President Urho Kekkonen. Helsinki Accords signed in 1975 Paris Charter signed in 1990 |
| European Union | 1995 | See 1995 enlargement of the European Union Former prime Minister Sanna Marin and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen meeting in Helsinki 3.2.2022 European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Former member 1986–1994 Council of Europe, member state since 1989 European Economic Area (EEA), Agreement since 1994 Finland joined the European Union as a full member on 1 January 1995 Join of Eurozone in 1999 Schengen Area, since 2001 Nordic Battlegroup / EU Battlegroup, as a full member on 2008 |
| NATO | 2023 | See Finland–NATO relations The Finnish ambassador hands the NATO membership application to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Partnership for Peace Previous member 1994–2023 Finland joined NATO as a full member on 4 April 2023. |

## Africa

| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
| Algeria | 18 January 1963 | Algeria has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Algiers. |
| Angola | 18 September 1976 | Angola is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland is represented in Angola through its embassy in Maputo, Mozambique. Finland also has an honorary consulate in Luanda. |
| Botswana | 1 July 1978 | Botswana is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland is represented in Botswana through its embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. Finland has an honorary consulate in Gaborone. |
| Burkina Faso | 1 July 1978 | Burkina Faso is represented in Finland through its embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark. |
| Burundi | 1 January 1980 | Burundi is represented in Finland through its embassy in Oslo, Norway. Finland is represented in Burundi through its embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. |
| Comoros | | Comoros is represented in Finland by its embassy in Paris, France. |
| Djibouti | 14 March 2007 | Finland is represented in Djibouti through its embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Djibouti is represented in Finland through its embassy in Moscow, Russia. |
| Egypt | 15 February 1947 | Finland recognised Egypt on February 15, 1947. Egypt has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Cairo. |
| Ethiopia | July 17, 1959 | See Ethiopia–Finland relations Ethiopia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland has an embassy in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia is one of Finland's long-term development partners and in the water and education sectors. On April 29, 2009, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development announced that the Finnish government had made a grant of 11.4 million euros to enable the Benishangul-Gumuz Region to upgrade its capacity to plan and manage its rural water supply and sanitation program to achieve universal access for all Ethiopians. |
| Kenya | 14 June 1965 | Finland recognised Kenya on December 13, 1963. Kenya is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland has an embassy in Nairobi and an honorary consulate in Mombasa. |
| Morocco | 17 July 1959 | Finland recognised Morocco's independence on June 8, 1956. Finland has an embassy in Rabat, an honorary consulate general in Casablanca, and other honorary consulates in Agadir, Kenitra, Marrakech, Safi, and Tangiers. Morocco has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Mozambique | 18 July 1975 | Finland recognised Mozambique on July 4, 1975. Mozambique is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland has an embassy in Maputo. |
| Namibia | 21 March 1990 | See Finland–Namibia relations Finland recognised Namibia on March 21, 1990. Both countries established diplomatic relations on the same day. Namibia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland has an embassy in Windhoek and an honorary consulate in Walvis Bay. |
| South Africa | 15 May 1949 | See Finland – South Africa relations A South African legation was established in 1967 and relations were then upgraded to ambassadorial level in March 1991. Finland has an embassy in Pretoria, a general consulate in Johannesburg, and a consulate in Cape Town. South Africa is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. During World War II South Africa declared war on Finland. Finland was a strong supporter of the dismantling of Apartheid in South Africa. South African exports to Finland include fresh and dried fruits, wine, pulp, paper, iron, steel, and coal. South Africa imports telecommunication equipment, paper, board products, and machinery from Finland. |
| Tanzania | 14 June 1965 | Finland recognised Tanganyika on December 9, 1961. Tanzania is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland has an embassy in Dar es Salaam. |
| Tunisia | 17 July 1959 | Finland recognised Tunisia's independence on June 8, 1956. Since 1994 Finland has an embassy in Tunis. Previously Finland was represented in Tunisia through its embassies in Algiers, Algeria, and Rome, Italy. Tunisia has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Zambia | 8 March 1968 | Finland recognised Zambia on October 29, 1964. Zambia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland has an embassy in Lusaka. |

## Americas

| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 26 September 2008 | Finland's embassy in Mexico City, Mexico attends to consular matters relating to Antigua and Barbuda. |
| Argentina | 11 May 1918 | See Argentina–Finland relations Argentina has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Buenos Aires and five honorary consulates (in Córdoba, Mendoza, Oberá, Rosario, and Ushuaia). |
| Bahamas | 2 December 2005 | Finland's embassy in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada attends to consular matters relating to The Bahamas. Finland also has an honorary consulate in Nassau. |
| Barbados | 1 December 1977 | Barbados is represented in Finland by their embassy in Brussels, Belgium. Finland has an honorary consulate general in Christ Church. |
| Belize | 19 June 1997 | Finland's embassy in Mexico City, Mexico attends to consular matters relating to Belize. Finland also has an honorary consulate in Belize City. |
| Bolivia | 21 September 1963 | Bolivia is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland is accredited to Bolivia from its embassy in Lima, Peru. |
| Brazil | 1929 | See Brazil–Finland relations President Tarja Halonen together with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil in Helsinki 2007 Brazil has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Brasília. |
| Canada | 21 November 1947 | See Canada–Finland relations Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Canada has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Ottawa. |
| Chile | 17 June 1919 | See Chile–Finland relations Chile recognised Finland's independence on June 17, 1919. Diplomatic relations between them were established in 1931 and have been continuously maintained, despite pressures at times to discontinue them. The two countries maintain resident ambassadors in both capitals. Chile has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Santiago. |
| Colombia | 26 May 1954 | Colombia has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Bogotá. The relations between Colombia and Finland are harmonious as both countries share a similar ideology based on democracy, human rights and a lasting peace. It's because of this that Colombia has decided to open an embassy in Helsinki. Colombia also defines Finland as a key player on Colombia's accession into the OECD and the ratification of the Colombia-European Union Trade Agreement. |
| Costa Rica | 23 August 1966 | Costa Rica is represent in Finland by their embassy in Oslo, Norway. Finland's embassy in Mexico City, Mexico attends to consular matters relating to Costa Rica. Finland also has an honorary consulate general and honorary vice-consulate in San José. |
| Cuba | 23 January 1959 | Cuba has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland's embassy in Mexico City, Mexico attends to consular matters relating to Cuba. Finland also has an honorary consulate general in Havana. |
| Dominica | 18 August 2009 | Finland has an honorary consulate in Roseau. |
| Dominican Republic | 2 January 1984 | The Dominican Republic is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland has an honorary consulate general in Santo Domingo. |
| Ecuador | 5 February 1965 | Ecuador is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland's embassy in Lima, Peru attends to consular matters relating to Ecuador. Finland has an honorary consulate in Guayaquil and Quito. |
| El Salvador | 14 April 1967 | El Salvador is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland's embassy in Mexico City, Mexico attends to consular matters relating to El Salvador. Finland has an honorary consulate and an honorary vice-consulate in San Salvador. |
| Grenada | 1 June 1980 | Grenada is represented in Finland by their embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland has an honorary consulate in St. George's. |
| Guatemala | 18 August 1967 | Guatemala is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Brussels, Belgium. Finland has an honorary consulate in Guatemala City. |
| Guyana | 2 April 1979 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on April 2, 1979. Guyana is represented in Finland by their embassy in Brussels, Belgium. Finland also has an honorary consulate general in Georgetown. |
| Haiti | 29 September 1966 | Finland's embassy in Mexico City, Mexico attends to consular matters relating to Haiti. Finland has an honorary consulate general in Port-au-Prince. |
| Honduras | 30 January 1976 | Honduras is represented in Finland by their embassy in Brussels, Belgium. Finland's embassy in Mexico City, Mexico attends to consular matters relating to Honduras. Finland has an honorary consulate general in Tegucigalpa and an honorary consulate in San Pedro Sula. |
| Jamaica | 1 December 1977 | Jamaica is represented in Finland by their embassy in London, United Kingdom. Finland has an honorary consulate general in Kingston. |
| Mexico | 2 October 1936 | See Finland–Mexico relations President Sauli Niinistö meeting with President Enrique Peña Nieto in 2015 Mexico recognized the independence of Finland in July 1920. Finland has an embassy in Mexico City. Mexico has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Nicaragua | 22 December 1975 | See Finland–Nicaragua relations Finland is accredited to Nicaragua from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. Nicaragua has an honorary consulate in Helsinki. |
| Panama | 1 December 1975 | Panama is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland's embassy in Bogota, Colombia attends to consular matters relating to Panama. Finland has an honorary consulate general in Panama City. |
| Paraguay | 20 November 1963 | Paraguay is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland's embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina attends to consular matters relating to Paraguay. Finland has an honorary consulate in Asunción. |
| Peru | 29 March 1963 | Minister of Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja with Embajador Fernando Rojas in 2014 Peru has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Lima. |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 22 September 2009 | Finland has an honorary consulate in Basseterre. |
| Saint Lucia | 22 September 2009 | Finland has an honorary consulate in Castries. |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 30 January 1976 | Finland is represented in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines through a roving ambassador. Finland has an honorary consulate in Kingstown. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is represented in Finland through its embassy in London. |
| Suriname | 28 June 2005 | Finland's embassy in Brasília, Brazil attends to consular matters relating to Suriname. Finland has an honorary consulate in Paramaribo. |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 17 December 1971 | Trinidad and Tobago is accredited to Finland from its embassy in London, United Kingdom. Finland has an honorary consulate general in Barataria. |
| United States | 30 May 1919 | See Finland–United States relations President Ronald Reagan meeting with President Mauno Koivisto in 1988 President Donald J. Trump with President Sauli Niinistö of Finland at the Mäntyniemi Residence, July 16, 2018 5-25-1988 President Reagan meeting with President Mauno Henrik Koivisto during a trip to Finland at the Helsinki airport in Vantaa Relations between the United States and Finland are warm. Some 200,000 US citizens visit Finland annually, and about 3,000 US citizens are resident there. The US has an educational exchange program in Finland that is comparatively large for a Western European country of Finland's size. It is financed in part from a trust fund established in 1976 from Finland's final repayment of a US loan made in the aftermath of World War I. Finland is bordered on the east by Russia and, as one of the former Soviet Union's neighbours, has been of particular interest and importance to the US both during the Cold War and in its aftermath. Before the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, longstanding US policy was to support Finnish neutrality and to maintain and reinforce Finland's historic, cultural, and economic ties with the West. The US has welcomed Finland's increased participation since 1991 in Western economic and political structures. Economic and trade relations between Finland and the United States are active and were bolstered by the F-18 purchase. US-Finland trade totals almost $5 billion annually. The US receives about 7% of Finland's exports – mainly wood pulp and paper, ships, machinery, electronics and instruments and refined petroleum products – and provides about 7% of its imports – principally computers, semiconductors, aircraft, and machinery. Finland has an embassy in Washington, D.C., and consulates-general in Los Angeles and New York City. United States has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Uruguay | 21 March 1935 | See Finland–Uruguay relations Finland's embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina accredited to Uruguay and maintains an honorary consulate in Montevideo. Uruguay has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Venezuela | 31 March 1954 | Finland is accredited to Venezuela from its embassy in Bogotá, Colombia. Venezuela is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Oslo, Norway. |

## Asia

| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
| Afghanistan | 11 May 1956 | Afghanistan recognised the independence of Finland on July 17, 1928. Afghanistan is accredited to Finland through its embassy in Oslo, Norway. Finland opened a liaison office in Kabul in 2002. It converted into an embassy on January 1, 2006. |
| Armenia | 25 March 1992 | See Armenia–Finland relations Finland recognised Armenia on December 30, 1991. Armenia is represented in Finland by a non-resident ambassador (based in Yerevan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Finland is represented in Armenia by a non-resident ambassador (based in Helsinki at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and an honorary consulate in Yerevan. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe. |
| Azerbaijan | 24 March 1992 | See Azerbaijan–Finland relations Alexander Stubb with Ilham Aliyev in 2024 Finland recognised Azerbaijan on March 24, 1992. Azerbaijan is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm (Sweden) and an honorary consulate in Helsinki. Finland is represented in Azerbaijan by a non-resident ambassador (based in Helsinki at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and an honorary consulate in Baku. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe. |
| Cambodia | 20 January 1970 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Prime Minister Hun Sen Finland recognized Cambodia on 19 December 1969. Diplomatic relations established on 20 January 1970, re-established 9 August 1976. Cambodia is represented in Finland through its embassy in London, England Finland is represented in Cambodia through its embassy in Bangkok, Thailand |
| China | October 28, 1950 | See China–Finland relations The two international trade organisations are the Finland-China Trade Association and the China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). One of the fastest growing areas of trade between the two countries is in environmental protection. and information technology. Nokia is the largest Finnish investor in China. China has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Beijing and consulates-general in Hong Kong and Shanghai. |
| Georgia | 8 July 1992 | See Finland–Georgia relations President Sauli Niinistö with President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili in 2019 Finland recognised Georgia on March 27, 1992. Finland is represented in Georgia by a non-resident ambassador (based in Helsinki at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and an honorary consulate in Tbilisi. Georgia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm (Sweden) and an honorary consulate in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe. Finland is an EU member and Georgia is an candidate. On April 22, 2009, the Georgian Foreign Minister visited Finland. |
| India | 10 September 1949 | See Finland–India relations The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen in Helsinki on 2006. Finland has an embassy in New Delhi and three honorary consulates in Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai. India has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Indonesia | 6 September 1954 | See Finland–Indonesia relations Finland recognised the independence of Indonesia on February 10, 1950. Finland has an embassy in Jakarta and honorary consulates in Denpasar and Medan. Indonesia has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Iran | | See Finland–Iran relations Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the Farah Pahlavi visit to Espoo, Finland. To their right, the Finnish president Urho Kekkonen in 1970 Photograph of the Shah and the Shahbanu during their visit to Tapiola residencial area in Espoo, Finland. To their right, the Finnish president Urho Kekkonen. Finland has an embassy in Tehran. Iran has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Iraq | 15 May 1959 | Finland recognised Iraq on May 15, 1959. Finland has an embassy in Baghdad. Iraq has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Israel | 14 November 1950 | See Finland–Israel relations Finland recognised Israel on March 18, 1949. Finland has an embassy in Tel Aviv. Israel has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the Union for the Mediterranean. Along with the rest of the European Union, Finland has not recognized the State of Palestine. See also History of the Jews in Finland |
| Japan | 6 September 1919 | See Finland–Japan relations Sauli Niinistö and Shinzo Abe Japan recognised Finland on May 23, 1919. Finland has an embassy in Tokyo and honorary consulate general in Osaka and other honorary consulates in Kitakyushu, Nagano, Nagoya, and Sapporo. Japan has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Kazakhstan | 13 May 1992 | See Finland–Kazakhstan relations Finland recognized Kazakhstan upon its independence from the Soviet Union. Finland has an embassy in Astana. Kazakhstan has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Kyrgyzstan | 23 March 1992 | Finland recognized Kazakhstan upon its independence from the Soviet Union. |
| Malaysia | 17 November 1972 | See Finland–Malaysia relations Finland has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Nepal | 30 August 1955 | Finland recognised Nepal on December 14, 1955. Finland has an embassy in Kathmandu. Nepal is represented in Finland through its embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark. |
| North Korea | 1 June 1973 | See Finland–North Korea relations Finland recognized the People's Democratic Republic of Korea on April 13, 1973. Finland condemns North Korean nuclear tests and fully agrees with EU foreign policy statements on this matter. International trade has been irregular and sporadic, and it is controlled by UN and EU sanctions. Finland has contributed to humanitarian assistance to North Korea through the Red Cross and the World Food Programme. Neither Finland nor North Korea currently have resident ambassadors. North Korea is represented by the North Korean embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland is represented by the Finnish embassy in Seoul, South Korea. |
| Northern Cyprus | | Northern Cyprus has a Representative Office in Helsinki. |
| Pakistan | January 12, 1951 | See Finland–Pakistan relations Finland is accredited to Pakistan from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs based in Helsinki. Pakistan is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. |
| Philippines | July 14, 1995 | Finland has an embassy in Manila. Philippines is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. |
| Saudi Arabia | 23 September 1969 | Finland has an embassy in Riyadh and an honorary consulate general in Jeddah. Saudi Arabia has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| South Korea | 24 August 1973 | The establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Finland and the South Korea began on 1973-08-24. Finland recognised South Korea on April 13, 1973. Finland has an embassy in Seoul. South Korea has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Syria | 22 May 1953 | Finland had an embassy in Damascus and two honorary consulates general in Aleppo and Latakia. Syria is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. |
| Thailand | 21 June 1954 | Thailand, previously known as Siam, recognised Finland's independence on October 9, 1919. Siam was the second non-European state after the United States and the first Asian state to recognise Finland's independence. Finland has an embassy in Bangkok, its honorary consulate general in Phuket and its honorary consulate in Chiang Mai. Thailand has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Turkey | 20 May 1920 | See Finland–Turkey relations Turkey recognised the independence of Finland on February 21, 1918. Finland has an embassy in Ankara and an honorary consulate general in Istanbul and other honorary consulates in Adana, Alanya, Antalya, Belek, Bodrum, İzmir and Kayseri. Turkey has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and of NATO. Finland is an EU member and Turkey is an EU candidate. Finland supports Turkey's accession negotiations to the EU, although negotiations have now been suspended. Turkey did not fully support the accession of Finland to NATO until March 2023, whereupon it was accepted. See also Turks in Finland |
| United Arab Emirates | 21 February 1975 | See Finland–United Arab Emirates relations Finland recognised United Arab Emirates on February 21, 1975. Finland has an embassy in Abu Dhabi. United Arab Emirates has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Vietnam | 5 January 1973 | Finland recognised Vietnam on December 28, 1972. Finland has an embassy in Hanoi and an honorary consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam has an embassy in Helsinki. |

## Europe

| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
| Albania | 8 June 1956 | Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama Albania is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland is accredited to Albania from its embassy in Athens, Greece. Albania is an EU candidate and Finland is a member. Both countries are full members of NATO and the Council of Europe. |
| Austria | 29 March 1949 | See Austria–Finland relations Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen in 2023 Austria has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Vienna. Both countries are full members of the European Union and the Council of Europe. |
| Belarus | 26 February 1992 | Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in 2021 Finland recognised the independence of Belarus on 30 December 1991. Finland is represented in Belarus through its embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, which also operates a liaison office in Minsk. Belarus opened an embassy in Helsinki on 5 December 2011. |
| Belgium | 9 July 1919 | Belgium has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Brussels. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. |
| Bulgaria | 5 August 1918 | See Bulgaria–Finland relations Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and Mariya Gabriel in 2023 In 1963, the diplomatic representations of the two countries were upgraded to the level of embassy. Bulgaria has an embassy in Helsinki and an honorary consulate in Kemi. Finland has an embassy in Sofia and an honorary consulate in Varna. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Croatia | 19 February 1992 | See Croatia–Finland relations Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković Croatia has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Zagreb. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. |
| Cyprus | 2 September 1961 | See Cyprus–Finland relations Finland recognised Cyprus on August 16, 1960. Cyprus has an embassy in Helsinki and an honorary consulate in Vantaa. Finland has an embassy in Nicosia. Both countries are full members of the European Union and the Council of Europe. |
| Czech Republic | 1 January 1993 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Prime Minister of Czech Republic Petr Fiala in 2022 Czech Republic has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Prague. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. |
| Denmark | 18 February 1918 | See Denmark–Finland relations Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen in 2022 Denmark has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Copenhagen. Denmark officially recognized Finland's independence in 1918. Both countries are full members of the Nordic Council and the Nordic Passport Union, with no border controls or limitations on travel and residence. On cases concerning an individual, authorities must arrange translations between Finnish and Danish, if necessary. Both countries are members of the European Union, NATO, the Council of Europe and the Council of the Baltic Sea States. Both countries are full members of Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). Denmark and Finland share a long history, where Danish Vikings settled in Finland and made crusades. Both countries were also part of the Kalmar Union. Denmark was the first country along with Sweden to recognize Finland's Independence. There are 3,000 Finns living in Denmark, and 1,235 Danes living in Finland. During Winter War, over 1,000 Danish volunteers came to help Finland. During the Winter war and the Continuation war, Denmark took 4,200 Finnish war children. Exports to Denmark value at 1.380 billion euros, and imports from Denmark value at 1.453 billion, making Denmark Finland's 10th largest import-trading partner. The Nordic Culture Fund and the Finnish-Danish Cultural Fund support projects of artists in both countries. Many tourists from Finland visit Denmark, 206,000 in 2017, and vice versa: 113,000 Danish tourists visited Finland in 2017. In 1918 Mannerheim visited Copenhagen, asking if Prince Aage would have wanted to become the King of Finland. |
| Estonia | 29 August 1991 | See Estonia–Finland relations Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas in 2022 Finland's main language, Finnish, is related to Estonian, and there is and has been a certain feeling of kinship. 76% of Finns have visited Estonia and in 2004, 1.8 million Finns reported visiting Estonia. Finnish and Swedish investors are the largest foreign investors in Estonia. Finland and Estonia are members of the European Union and the Schengen agreement, freeing international travel and trade between the countries. Finland's government recognised Estonia's independence in 1920. In response to the Soviet invasion, diplomatic missions were de facto removed. However, when Estonia declared independence, this "temporary obstruction" was resolved. Both countries restored diplomatic relations on August 29, 1991. Estonia has an embassy in Helsinki and five honorary consulates in Oulu, Turku, Raseborg, Tampere and Kotka. Finland has an embassy in Tallinn and an honorary consulate in Tartu. Finland contributed and continues to contribute military aid to Estonia, e.g., training of officers, provision of equipment. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. Both countries are full members of Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). |
| France | 24 January 1918 | See Finland–France relations Prime Minister Petteri Orpo with President of France Emmanuel Macron in Paris 2023 France was one of the first countries which recognised Finland's independence on January 4, 1918. Finland has an embassy in Paris and 18 honorary consulates (in Ajaccio, Bordeaux, Brest, Caen, Cherbourg, Dijon, Lille, Lyons, Marseille, Monaco, Nancy, Nice, Reims, Rouen, Sète, Strasbourg, Toulouse and Papeete in Tahiti). France has an embassy in Helsinki and its honorary consulates in Hämeenlinna, Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Oulu, Pori, Rovaniemi, Tampere and Turku. There are an estimated 6,000 Finns living in France. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Germany | 4 January 1918 | See Finland–Germany relations C.G.E. Mannerheim, Adolf Hitler and Risto Ryti in June 4th 1942 during Hitler's visit in Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Chancellor Olaf Scholz Germany recognised Finland's independence on January 4, 1918. Germany gave direct military support to Finnish independence by training Finnish Jägers and successfully intervened in Finnish Civil War in favor of the nationalist Whites. During World War II, the secret protocol in Molotov–Ribbentrop pact enabled Winter War (1939–40), a Soviet attack on Finland. Finland and Nazi Germany were "co-belligerents" against Soviet Union during Continuation War (1941–44), but a separate peace with Soviet Union led to the Finnish-German Lapland War (1944–45). The Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic (West and East Germany) were both recognised on January 7, 1972, by Finland. Diplomatic relations between Finland and West Germany were established on January 7, 1973. Finland has an embassy in Berlin, and consulate general in Hamburg, two honorary consulates general in Düsseldorf and Munich and other honorary consulates in Bremen, Dresden, Frankfurt am Main, Hanover, Kiel, Lübeck, Rostock, Stuttgart, and Wilhelmshaven. Germany has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. |
| Greece | 5 January 1918 | See Finland–Greece relations Prime Minister Sanna Marin with Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis in 2022 Greece recognised Finland's independence on January 5, 1918. Finland has an embassy in Athens. Greece has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. |
| Hungary | 20 May 1947 | See Finland–Hungary relations Hungary recognised Finland on August 23, 1920. Finland recognised Hungary on September 10, 1920. Finland broke off diplomatic relations on September 20, 1944. Diplomatic relations were re-established on May 20, 1947. Both national languages, Finnish and Hungarian, are Uralic languages, which has led to cultural exchange albeit at a much smaller scale compared to the third major Uralic-speaking country, Estonia. Finland has an embassy in Budapest and an honorary consulate in Pécs. Hungary has an embassy in Helsinki and four honorary consulates (in Turku, Mariehamn, Tampere and Joensuu). Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO and the Council of Europe. |
| Iceland | 15 August 1947 | See Finland–Iceland relations Sanna Marin met the Prime Minister of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir in Kesäranta on 2022 Finland has an embassy in Reykjavík. Iceland has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the Nordic Council and the Nordic Passport Union, with no border controls or limitations on travel and residence. On cases concerning an individual, authorities must arrange translations between Finnish and Icelandic, if necessary. Both countries are full members of NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). |
| Ireland | 2 November 1961 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin with Taoiseach, Prime Minister of Ireland Micheál Martin in 2022 Finland has an embassy in Dublin and three honorary consulates (in Cork, Dublin and Limerick). Ireland has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of Council of Europe and of the European Union. |
| Italy | 6 September 1919 | See Finland–Italy relations Finnish President Sauli Niinistö with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Italy recognised Finland's independence on June 27, 1919. Finland has an embassy in Rome and two honorary consulate generals in Milan and Venice and other honorary consulates in Genoa, Bari, Cagliari, Catania, Florence, Livorno, Messina, Naples, Palermo, Rimini, Trieste and Turin. Italy has an embassy in Helsinki and its honorary consulates in Hanko, Jyväskylä, Kotka, Kuopio, Oulu, Pori, Rovaniemi, Tampere, Turku and Vaasa. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Kosovo | 3 February 2009 | Main article: Finland–Kosovo relations Finland recognised Kosovo March 7, 2008. Finland maintains an embassy in Pristina. |
| Latvia | 24 September 1919 | See Finland–Latvia relations Prime Minister Sanna Marin met Latvia's Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš 12 February 2020 Finland recognised Latvia's independence de facto on September 24, 1919, and de jure on January 21, 1921. Finland has an embassy in Riga. Latvia has an embassy in Helsinki and four honorary consulates (in Åland, Satakunta, Kymenlaakso and Oulu). Both countries are full members of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the European Union, NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). |
| Lithuania | 4 November 1919 | See Finland–Lithuania relations Tarja Halonen talk with the President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė in 2011 Finland recognised Lithuania's independence de facto on November 14, 1919, and de jure on October 14, 1921. Finland has an embassy in Vilnius and an honorary consulate in Klaipėda. Lithuania has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the European Union, NATO, Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). |
| Luxembourg | 25 October 1921 | Sanna Marin and Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel in 2022 Luxembourg recognised Finland's independence on October 25, 1921. Finland has an embassy in Luxembourg City. Luxembourg is accredited to Finland through its embassy in Copenhagen. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Malta | 21 February 1969 | Finland is represented in Malta through its embassy in Rome, Italy, and an honorary consulate in Valletta. Malta is represented in Finland by a non-resident ambassador (based in Valletta at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and an honorary consulate in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the European Union. |
| Montenegro | 12 July 2006 | Sanna Marin met the Prime Minister of Montenegro Dritan Abazović, on 2022 Finland recognised Montenegro 29 June 2006. Finland is an EU member and Montenegro is an candidate. Both countries are full members of NATO. |
| Netherlands | 18 August 1918 | See Finland–Netherlands relations President of Finland Kekkonen with the Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld on their way to Palace, October 24, 1972 Prime Minister Orpo and Prime Minister of Netherlands Rutte in 2024 The Netherlands recognised Finland's independence on January 28, 1918. Finland has an embassy in The Hague and honorary consulate general in Amsterdam and other honorary consulates in Rotterdam and Terneuzen. The Netherlands has an embassy in Helsinki and consulates (in Kuopio, Mariehamn, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Tampere, Turku and Vaasa). Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). |
| North Macedonia | | Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin with North Makedonian President Stevo Pendarovski in 2022 Finland is an EU member and North Macedonia is an candidate. Both countries are full members of NATO. |
| Norway | 6 April 1918 | See Finland–Norway relations Norway recognised Finland's independence on January 10, 1918. Finland has an embassy in Oslo and other honorary consulates in Bergen, Bodø, Drammen, Farsund, Grimstad, Halden, Hamar, Hammerfest, Haugesund, Horten, Kirkenes, Kristiansand, Kristiansund, Larvik, Moss, Narvik, Sarpsborg, Stavanger, Tromsø, Trondheim, Vadsø, and Ålesund. Norway has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the Nordic Council and the Nordic Passport Union, with no border controls or limitations on travel and residence. On cases concerning an individual, authorities must arrange translations between Finnish and Norwegian, if necessary. Both countries are full members of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, Council of Europe, NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). |
| Poland | 8 March 1919 | See Finland–Poland relations Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki in 2022 Finland has an embassy in Warsaw and an honorary consulate in Gdynia. Poland has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the European Union, and NATO. |
| Portugal | 10 January 1920 | Portugal recognised Finland's independence on December 19, 1919. Finland has an embassy in Lisbon and honorary consulates in Faro, Lisbon, Porto, Vila Real de Santo António, Ponta Delgada in the Azores and Funchal in Madeira. Portugal has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Romania | 14 October 1949 | Romania recognised Finland on April 8, 1920. Finland has an embassy in Bucharest and two honorary consulates (in Bucharest and Constanţa). Romania has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. |
| Russia | 30 December 1991 | Main article: Finland–Russia relations Nikita Khrushchev speaking, Urho Kekkonen, Leonid Brezhnev, Nikolai Podgorny, Jorma Vanamo and Kustaa Loikkanen in 1963 Vladimir Putin and Sauli Niinistö in 2017 Relations with Russia are peaceful and friendly. Finland imports a lot of goods and basic necessities, such as fuel, and the two nations are agreeing on issues more than disagreeing on them. Finland was a part of the Russian Empire for 108 years, after being annexed from the Swedish empire. Discontent with Russian rule, Finnish national identity, and World War I eventually caused Finland to break away from Russia, taking advantage of the fact that Russia was withdrawing from World War I and a revolution was starting in earnest. Following the Finnish Civil War and October Revolution, Russians were virtually equated with Communists and due to official hostility to Communism, Finno-Soviet relations in the period between the world wars remained tense. Voluntary activists arranged expeditions to Karelia (heimosodat), which ended when Finland and the Soviet Union signed the Treaty of Tartu in 1920. However, the Soviet Union did not abide by the treaty when they blockaded Finnish naval ships. Finland was attacked by the Soviet Union in 1939. Finland fought the Winter War and the Continuation War against the Soviets in World War II. During the wars, the Finns suffered 90,000 casualties and inflicted severe casualties on the Russians (120,000 dead in the Winter War and 200,000 in the Continuation War). Contemporary issues include problems with border controls causing persistent truck queues at the border, airspace violations, pollution of the Baltic Sea, and Russian duties on exported wood to Finland's pulp and paper industry. Russia also considered large swathes of land near the Finnish border as special security area where foreign land ownership is forbidden. A similarly extensive restriction does not apply to Russian citizens. The Finnish Defence Forces and Finnish Security Intelligence Service have suspected that Russians have made targeted land purchases near military and other sensitive installations for intelligence or special operations purposes. Right-wing commentators accuse the government of continuing the policy of Finlandisation. Recently, Finland-Russia relations have been under pressure with annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, which Finland considers illegal. Together with the rest of the European Union, Finland enforces sanctions against Russia that followed. Still, economic relations have not entirely deteriorated: 11.2% of imports to Finland are from Russia, and 5.7% of exports from Finland are to Russia, and cooperation between Finnish and Russian authorities continues. Finland has an embassy in Moscow and a consulate-general in Saint Petersburg. Russia has an embassy in Helsinki, a consulate-general in Turku and consulates in Lappeenranta and Mariehamn. |
| Serbia | 1929 | Finland has an embassy in Belgrade. Serbia has an embassy in Helsinki. Finland is an EU member and Serbia is an candidate. |
| Slovakia | 1 January 1993 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Prime Minister of Slovakia Eduard Heger in 2022 Finland recognised the independence of Slovakia on January 1, 1993. Finland has an embassy and an honorary consulate in Bratislava. Slovakia has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Slovenia | 17 February 1992 | President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister of Slovenia Robert Golob meet up in 2023 Vilnius summit Finland recognised Slovenia on January 17, 1992. Finland has an embassy in Ljubljana. Slovenia has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. Tensions between the countries rose in late 2008 when a news program on Finland's national broadcasting company station YLE accused Finnish weapons manufacturer Patria of bribing Slovenian officials to secure an arms deal. Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša formally complained to the Finnish ambassador in Ljubljana. This controversy became known as the Patria case. |
| Spain | 16 August 1918 | See Finland–Spain relations Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Stockholm on 2 February 2023 Spain recognised Finland's independence on February 21, 1918. Finland has an embassy in Madrid and two honorary consulates general in Barcelona and Sevilla and other honorary consulates in A Coruña, Benidorm, Bilbao, Gijón, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Pilar de la Horadada, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Santander, Valencia and Vigo. Spain has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO. |
| Sweden | 10 January 1918 | Main article: Finland–Sweden relations President Urho Kekkonen, Swedish Queen Silvia, director Åke Wolfram of Wärtsilä, and king Carl XVI Gustaf in Turku on 28 April 1981 Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Stockholm on 2 February 2023 Finland and Sweden have always had very close relations, resulting from shared history, numerous commonalities in society and politics, and close trade relations. A newly appointed Foreign Minister makes his or her first state visit to Sweden. Finnish politicians often consider Sweden's reaction to international affairs first as a base for further actions, and thus finally both countries often agree on such issues. If there has ever been any dissonance between the two countries those were the Åland question in the early 1920s and the Swedish declaration of non-belligerent status during the Winter War. Finland and Sweden are members of the European Union and the Schengen agreement, freeing international travel and trade between the countries. Furthermore, both participate in the Nordic Council, which grants Swedish nationals slightly more extensive rights than the EU/Schengen treaties alone. Finland has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries became members of the European Union on 1 January 1995. Both countries applied for NATO membership on 18 May 2022. Finland became a member on 4 April 2023, while Sweden became a member on 7 March 2024. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO and of the Council of Europe. |
| Switzerland | 29 January 1926 | Finland recognised Switzerland on January 29, 1926. Finland has an embassy in Bern. Switzerland has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| Turkey | 20 May 1920 | See Turkey in Asia Above See Finland–Turkey relations |
| Ukraine | 26 February 1992 | See Finland–Ukraine relations Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyiv, Ukraine, 26 May 2022 In 1918, Finland was one of the first countries which recognised Ukraine in 1918 and opened its diplomatic mission in Kyiv. Finland recognised Ukraine on December 30, 1991. Finland has an embassy in Kyiv. Ukraine has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe. Finland is an EU member and Ukraine is an candidate. |
| United Kingdom | 6 May 1919 | Finland has an embassy in London and honorary consulates in Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Dundee, Edinburgh, Gibraltar, Glasgow, Hamilton, Harwich, Hull, Immingham, Leeds, Lerwick, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham, Plymouth, Rochester, Sheffield, Southampton and St Helier. The United Kingdom has an embassy in Helsinki and honorary consulates in Jyväskylä, Kotka, Kuopio, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Turku, Tampere, Vaasa and Åland. Both countries are full members of NATO and the Council of Europe. Both countries are full members of Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). |

## Oceania

| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
| Australia | 31 May 1949 | Main article: Australia–Finland relations Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President of Finland Sauli Niinistö in 2022 Diplomatic relations were established on May 31, 1949. Australia is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Finland has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate in Sydney. |
| New Zealand | 22 July 1950 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Finland is accredited to New Zealand from its embassy in Canberra, Australia. New Zealand is accredited to Finland from its embassy in The Hague, Netherlands. |

## International organization participation

* AfDB
* AsDB
* Australia Group
* BIS
* CBSS
* CCC
* CE
* CERN
* EAPC
* EBRD
* ECE
* EIB
* ESA
* EU
* FAO
* G-9
* IADB
* IAEA
* IBRD
* ICAO
* ICC
* ICC
* ICRM
* IDA
* IEA
* IFAD
* IFC
* IFRCS
* IHO
* ILO
* IMF
* IMO
* ITUC
* Interpol
* IOC
* IOM
* ISO
* ITU
* MINURSO
* NATO
* NC
* NEA
* NIB
* NSG
* OAS (observer)
* OECD
* OPCW
* OSCE
* PCA
* PFP
* UN
* UNCTAD
* UNESCO
* UNHCR
* UNIDO
* UNIKOM
* UNITAR
* UNMEE
* UNMIBH
* UNMIK
* UNMOGIP
* UNMOP
* UNOMIG
* UNTAET
* UNTSO
* UPU
* WEU (observer)
* WFTU
* WHO
* WIPO
* WMO
* WTrO
* Zangger Committee

### Sub-national government participation

Åland Islands
* Unrepresented United Nations