In European financial politics, the most important topic right now is the EU's 750 billion "recovery fund". In carefully crafted rhetorical speeches the fund is justified by the ongoing coronavirus situation, but the virus is actually being utilized as an excuse to distribute 390 billion euros as grants and 360 billion as loans. The conditions for getting money from the fund have rather little to do with the epidemic itself.

United Nations celebrated its 75th anniversary in September. The General Assembly was held digitally for the first time as the heads of states could not meet in person. However, this does not diminish the importance of this meeting. Democracy, multilateralism and equality, the foundations of the UN,

Never have I been so glad to see my mother, as I have been these last weeks. I could meet my dear mother in a modern building, sitting around a table, eating chocolates - even if parted by a glass wall and chatting through a sound system.

This spring has been nothing like any of us expected. Our lives have been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

EVERY TIME I travel to other countries, I love to see fair, foreign people who work and take care of me; a foreigner for them. I relax when I see their commitment to local habits and culture they maintain from childhood to adulthood. I will do my best to be honest and open-minded to them as well.

Finland has been a safe and neutral meeting point between the east and west.

Covid-19 has dragged us into a situation where both the present and the future are full of uncertainty. In decision making, this means that with any step we take, we cannot be certain of what the consequences could be.

The Finnish basic school system was created because we wanted to ensure that the whole nation would receive an adequate education. By affording education to all students, regardless of their family background, we wanted to enable every student to find employment and pursue his or her dreams. At the time, the political right opposed the introduction of basic school. Today, we know that Finnish basic school is a success story admired around the world.

It is time to end the EU's membership negotiations with Turkey. It has become obvious that Turkey does not want to become a member of the European Union, and only wants to incite confrontation.

Corona, corona, corona. 

That’s the only thing we have heard in the last few months. Normally, even in the midst of crises, the still-positive sports news keeps rolling. 

The global coronavirus crisis has created an unprecedented challenge for states to safeguard people’s right to health and even life. The crisis has also threatened economies as nations, in order to protect life, have been forced to restrict the activities of individuals as well as businesses.

I agree with those who say there will be no business as usual after the COVID-19 crisis is over. We cannot even know how long it will take for the crisis to abate and when (or even if) an effective and safe vaccine can be taken into use.

Finland has traditionally had strong freedom of speech and opinion. We are used to seeing these rights as self-evident, part of a democratic state governed by the rule of law. However, lately there have been repeated cases, both in the media and even in the work of public authorities, which have sparked further debate on the state of freedom of expression.

“I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance infect and pollute others, and so cause their death as a result of my negligence…Moreover, he who has contracted the disease and recovered should keep away from others and not admit them into his presence unless it be necessary."

The importance of information grows during a crisis. Amid the corona pandemic, Finland has been lucky to be several weeks behind many other countries in the development of this crisis. We have had the opportunity to utilise information and experiences from elsewhere.

In recent years, global powers have clearly distanced themselves from the rules-based order and moved closer back to the times of power politics. The corona crisis has proven, at the latest, that we need multilateralism and international cooperation in order to survive.

I started my job as the Minister of Defence in June 2019. It has been almost a year now. Then, almost a year ago, I couldn't have imagined what the situation would be now.

It’s all about the evolution of prevention, not exit.

In early March we had only one ethically sound alternative: the use of extraordinary measures - whatever it takes - to avoid unmanageable epidemy.

The European union is a union of shared values. These values cannot be compromised or brushed aside, because they represent the very foundation upon which our union is built. The EU's founding values are human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities.

The United Nations Agenda 2030 sustainable development goals direct Finland and other countries towards a more sustainable future. The aim of the Agenda is that everyone is a part of the change, and no one is left behind.

 The global sustainable development report indicates that we are making progress towards these goals, but far too slowly. Global inequality is rising as well as all the more connected with severe environmental crises. Biodiversity continues to decline.