Finland tells China that support for Russia will not end the war in Ukraine

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Finland on Saturday as part of a week-long diplomatic tour of Nordic countries.

During the talks, the Finnish side stated directly that Chinese support for Russia does not contribute to resolving the war in Ukraine.

Wang Yi met with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen in Helsinki and with President Alexander Stubb in the southwestern city of Turku. The visit was the first by a Chinese foreign minister to Finland in more than two decades.

During the talks, Valtonen set out Finland’s position: Russia is the most serious threat to Europe, and the support China provides to Russia does not contribute to resolving the war in Ukraine. The Finnish government had made clear in advance that the agenda would include the war, European security, and EU-China relations. Valtonen also noted that Finland is “ready to strengthen dialogue and coordination with China on multilateral platforms,” describing China as “an important partner in addressing key global challenges.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s readout of the talks emphasized economic cooperation and Finland’s commitment to the “one China” principle. Wang Yi said China is ready to expand cooperation in the areas of green transition, scientific and technological innovation, and artificial intelligence.

In Turku, President Stubb, according to the Xinhua news agency, praised China for contributing “a valuable element of stability to the modern world” and said that the global initiatives proposed by Beijing are of “historic significance.” Stubb also expressed interest in expanding cooperation in green economy and artificial intelligence.

A wide-ranging Nordic tour

The visit to Finland took place as part of a July 2–8 tour that also covers Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. On July 4 in Stockholm, Wang Yi met with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, urging Sweden to help “restore trust” between the two countries. Wang Yi also told Kristersson that China is ready to strengthen contacts with Sweden at all levels.

The final destination will be Oslo, where on Tuesday Wang Yi will meet with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide — just as the NATO summit in Ankara, scheduled for July 7–8, gets underway. At the summit, allied leaders are expected to pledge tens of billions of euros in military aid to Ukraine and reaffirm their commitment to collective defense.

All four Nordic countries Wang Yi is visiting are NATO members — Finland and Sweden joined the alliance in 2023 and 2024, respectively — and all share concerns about China’s role as a key enabler of Russia’s military operations. The Chinese Foreign Ministry described the tour as aimed at “in-depth exchanges of views” on bilateral relations, cooperation, and international affairs.