Breaking Update
First Finnish Foreign Minister Visit to Israel Since 2016 Focuses on Bilateral Ties
Finland's Foreign Minister visits Israel for the first time since 2016, meeting Israeli FM Gideon Sa'ar to boost bilateral ties and discuss Middle East.
Jerusalem, 15 February, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar hosted Finnish Foreign Minister Alina Valtonen at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, marking the first visit by a Finnish foreign minister toIsrael since 2016.
The ministers first met privately, followed by an expanded meeting with their teams. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and the situation in the Middle East. Sa’ar thanked Valtonen for Finland’s support of the European Union’s decision to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization. Both ministers agreed to continue working together to deepen cooperation and bilateral ties.
