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, 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. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs implements the foreign policy.
Johannes Virolainen was a Finnish politician and who served as 30th Prime Minister of Finland, helped inhabitants of Karelia, opposed the use of alcohol and created Mandatory Swedish in Finnish basic schools.
Cai-Göran Alexander Stubb is a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland from 2014 to 2015. He rose to politics as a researcher specialized in the affairs of the European Union and was elected to the European Parliament in 2004 as a member of the National Coalition Party. In 2008, Stubb was appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs following a scandal surrounding his predecessor, Ilkka Kanerva. In 2011 Stubb stood for election to the Finnish Parliament for the first time and was elected MP with the second highest vote count in the election, which led to Stubb becoming the Minister for Europe and Foreign Trade in Jyrki Katainen's cabinet.
Matti Kalervo Anttonen is a Finnish diplomat and the present Secretary of State for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland since 1 March 2018.
Marja-Liisa Kiljunen is a Finnish diplomat. She has been Finnish Ambassador to Lithuania and Belarus from 2008 to 2012.
Jarmo Viinanen is a former Finnish ambassador to Sweden until 2016, and was President of the UNICEF Executive Board in 2013. In addition to this, Viinanen was, from 1997 until 1998, the First Secretary in the Foreign Ministry's Department of External Trade Relations. From 1998 to 2000, Viinanen was the Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Between 2000 and 2005, Viinanen served as the diplomatic adviser to Tarja Halonen, the 11th President of Finland, the Deputy Secretary General and Deputy Chief of Cabinet, as well as the Secretary-General and Chief of Cabinet to Halonen from 2005–2009. Between 8 April 2009 and 2014 Viinanen held a position as the Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations.
Eero Järnefelt was a Finnish diplomat.
Pekka Juhani Korvenheimo is a Finnish diplomat, a master of political science.
Päivi Luostarinen is a Finnish diplomat. She has been employed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs since 1981 and served as Finnish Ambassador at the Finnish Embassy in London from September 2015 until June 2019.
Pertti Juhani Torstila has had a long career in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland made by an official and a diplomat. Prior to his retirement, he served as State Secretary for Foreign Affairs in 2006-2014.
Pekka Juhani Huhtaniemi is a Finnish diplomat. He served as Finland's ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2010-2015. In 2006-2010, Huhtaniemi was the Undersecretary of State for Trade in Foreign Affairs.
Alec Mikael Aalto was a Finnish diplomat. In the Foreign Ministry, he started in 1979 and served as Finland's Ambassador in Austria (1991–1995), Italy (2003–2006) and Sweden in 2006–2010 until his retirement.
Kirsti Helena Kauppi was the Finnish ambassador to the United States from January 2015 to September 2020. Prior to that she was in the post of Head of the Political Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs from 1 April 2012 until the end of 2014. Since 2009, she has served as Head of Division for the Department of Foreign Affairs of Africa and the Middle East. Previously, she has worked at the Ministry's Political Department, for example as Head of the European correspondent network and also in the Development Cooperation Department.
Päivi Kairamo is a Finnish diplomat and civil servant. She has been working as Head of the United Nations Permanent Representation to Geneva from 1 July 2012.
Maija Lähteenmäki is a Finnish diplomat. She has been Finland's ambassador to Australia in Canberra in 2010-2013 and retired there. She started working with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1974.
Anu-Maija Saarela is a Finnish lawyer and diplomat. She has been Ambassador of Finland to Tel Aviv since 2016.
Esko Tapio Hamilo was a Finnish Under-Secretary and diplomat. He is a Bachelor of Political Science from 1971, and has been employed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs since 1972. He was head of office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in years 1985–1987and Foreign Affairs Counselor between 1992–1996 and again 2005–2007.
Jan Henrik Groop is a Finnish diplomat. He is a lawyer in education and has gained the title of Master in Law.
Sinikka Aulikki Antila is a Finnish lawyer and diplomat. She is a leading expert in trade and development at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Development Policy Department.
Päivi Marjatta Hiltunen-Toivio is a Finnish lawyer and diplomat. She was Finnish Ambassador to Jakarta. She has been in charge from 15 August 2014 to 2018. She started with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1979.
