The Republic of Estonia gained its independence from the Russian Empire on 24 February 1918 and established diplomatic relations with many countries via membership of the League of Nations. The forcible incorporation of Estonia into the Soviet Union in 1940 was not generally recognised by the international community and the Estonian diplomatic service continued to operate in some countries. Following the restoration of independence from the Soviet Union, Russia was one of the first nations to re-recognize Estonia's independence. Estonia's immediate priority after regaining its independence was the withdrawal of Russian forces from Estonian territory. In August 1994, this was completed. However, relations with Moscow have remained strained primarily because Russia decided not to ratify the border treaty it had signed with Estonia in 1999.
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.
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.
Eva-Christina Mäkeläinen is a Finnish diplomat, a Licentiate of Social Sciences degree and a PhD in Philosophy. She served as deputy director of the Department for the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1976 to 1980. She has been an ambassador in Athens from 1980 to 1985, in Copenhagen 1985-1990 in Vienna and Ljubljana in 1995-1998 .
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.
Tarja Laitiainen is a Finnish diplomat. She started working for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1980. Laitianien was appointed as the Finnish Ambassador to Portugal in Lisbon on October 1, 2016.
Hilkka Nenonen is a Finnish diplomat. Since September 2013, she has been the Ambassador of Finland in Dublin.
Terhi Hakala is a Finnish diplomat. She is the Ambassador of Finland and will be in charge of the Permanent Representation in the UN in Geneva from 1 September 2016. She started working for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1988.
Kirsti Helena Kauppi has been the Finnish ambassador to the United States since January 2015. 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.
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.
Riitta Hannele Resch is a Finnish diplomat. She is a leading expert at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Humanitarian Aid and Policy Unit. Resch worked as an ambassador in Manila from 2004 to 2008. She started working at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1982.
Kirsti Eskelinen-Liukkonen was an Ambassador of Finland to Ankara from 2008 to 2012. She was the Finnish Ambassador to Latvia in Riga from 2000 to 2004 and after that she was head of the Eastern Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until 2008. She started with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1973.
Helena Tuuri is a Finnish diplomat. She has been the Finnish Ambassador to Prague, since 15 August 2014. She joined the service of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1987.
Elisabeth Tigerstedt-Tähtelä is a Finnish diplomat. She is a Master in lawyer and has been Finnish Ambassador to several countries
Erkki Juhani Kivimäki was a Finnish diplomat. He served as Finnish Ambassador at the Embassy of Finland in Argentina, Buenos Aires from 1996 to 2001.
Raija Anne Lammila is a Finnish diplomat.
Päivi Hiltunen-Toivio is a Finnish 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.
Anne Meskanen is a Finnish diplomat. She is the Finnish Ambassador to Kabul, Afghanistan and has been in charge since 1 September 2015. The mission was closed in March 2017 when a terrorist attack took place nearby.
Seija Toro is a Finnish diplomat and Counsellor for Foreign Affairs. Toro holds a Master of Arts degree. From September 1, 2016, she has been a Roving Ambassador at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for Mali, Niger, Ivory Coast and Senegal. Before that she was the Ambassador of Finland to Maputo, Mozambique, from 1 November 2013. She started working with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1989.
