Federal President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his spouse Elke Büdenbender visited Finland on Thursday 7 May 2026. President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb and his spouse Suzanne Innes-Stubb received the German presidential couple at a welcome ceremony in the forecourt of the Presidential Palace in Helsinki.
At the beginning of the working visit, President Stubb and Federal President Steinmeier held bilateral talks, after which official discussions between the countries took place. In addition to bilateral relations, the discussions covered support for Ukraine, comprehensive security and defence industrial cooperation, European security, transatlantic relations, and the situation in the Middle East.
At the joint press conference, President Stubb stressed that Germany is an important partner and ally for Finland:
“Our relationship is built on shared values, our commitment to European security and unity, to international law, and to multilateral cooperation.”
Cooperation in the field of defence was strongly highlighted during the visit. Federal President Steinmeier was accompanied by a delegation including senior leaders from the Federal Ministry of Defence and the German Armed Forces.
“In today’s security environment, things can no longer be done as before. Germany is now investing massively in its defence. Finnish companies such as Patria, Nokia and ICEYE are helping to build up Germany’s defence capabilities,” President Stubb said.
President Stubb noted that although Finland has much to learn from Germany, it also has much to offer – especially in comprehensive security, one of its key strengths. The programme ended with a visit to the Merihaka Civil Defence Shelter, where they were introduced to preparedness for emergency conditions.
In addition to the joint programme with the presidents, Mrs Innes-Stubb and Mrs Büdenbender attended a roundtable discussion on the theme Women in Defence and Security. The discussion brought together Finnish experts in the fields of security and defence.
