President Niinistö will pay a state visit to Sweden in mid-May. According to Iltalehti, the visit may have significant information about the countries' NATO membership, by the time of the visit, Finland will have completed the NATO membership process. Sweden's position on NATO's membership is also likely to be clear by then, when both countries could express their common desire to apply for NATO membership.
Although nothing is certain yet, the visit to Sweden may have “significant weight”, as one expert source interviewed by Iltalehti described.
Analyysi_ Niinistön Ruotsi-vierailuun voi latautua paljon - kuten yhteinen ilmoitus maiden Nato-jäsenyydestä
Program
Tuesday 17 May
Morning
Official welcome ceremony
The state visit begins when the Royal Couple meets the presidential couple at the Royal Stables for a cortege to the Royal Palace.
The King and President then give a press release in Lovisa Ulrika's dining room.
Meeting with the Speaker
President Niinistö is received by Speaker Andreas Norlén in the Riksdag. After their meeting, the President gives a speech in the Second Chamber, in the presence of the royal couple and Mrs Haukio. The theme for the speech is "A responsible, strong and stable Nordic region".
Bernadotte Library
The Queen and Mrs Haukio visit the Bernadotte Library, where acting palace librarian Arvid Jakobsson will present a selection of the library's objects.
Luncheon
The royal couple invites the presidential couple to a luncheon at the Royal Palace.
Afternoon
Meeting with the Prime Minister
Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson will receive President Niinistö in the Adelcrantz House. Following bilateral discussions, a press conference will be held.
Waldemarsudde
Mrs Haukio and the Queen visit Waldemarsudde and the exhibition "Ljus över hav och land – Önningebykolonin på Åland" (Light over Sea and Land – The Önningeby Colony on Åland). They are received by Marshal of the Realm Fredrik Wersäll (Chair of the Board of Waldemarsudde) and Museum Director Karin Sidén.
Cultural event: Past, present and future - how to further develop Swedish-Finnish cultural cooperation
The Presidential Couple and the Royal Couple participate in a cultural event arranged by the Finnish Institute, the Swedish Institute and Kulturhuset Stadsteatern. After the opening speech by the Minister for Foreign Trade and Nordic Affairs, Anna Hallberg, talks on the cultural ties between Finland and Sweden and visions ahead will follow. Participants: Maria Sid, theater and performing arts director Kulturhuset Stadsteatern, Stefan Forsberg, CEO and director of Stockholm Concert Hall and Susanna Pettersson, superintendent of the National Museum. This is followed by a panel discussion on new opportunities for the film and television drama industry with Alma Pöysti, actor, Dritero Kasapi, theater director Riksteatern, Klaus Härö, director and Laura Munsterhjelm, Actors in Scandinavia. The conferencier is Mark Levengood. Also participating are Stina Ekblad, Bianca Kronlöf, Shebly Niavarani, Virpi Pahkinen and Anna Järvinen.
Evening
Gala dinner
The first day of the state visit ends with the Royal Couple giving a gala dinner at the Royal Palace
Wednesday 18 May
Morning
Round table discussion on green transition
The President and the King participate in a round table discussion at the Finnish Institute, arranged by Business Sweden and the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, with Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä and Minister for Business, Industry and Innovation Karl-Petter Thorwaldsson, representatives of Finnish and Swedish business and Jan Larsson, CEO of Business Sweden. The theme of the conversation is the countries' work to strengthen resilience and innovation cooperation and accelerate the green transition. How can Finland and Sweden co-innovate and scale-up solutions to accelerate the green transition? The moderator is Tuula Teeri, ceo of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.
Stockholm's Naval base Berga
The President and the King visit Naval base Berga, accompanied by Prince Carl Philip. They are welcomed by the Deputy Chief of the Amphibious Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Joakim Kindahl. The visit begins with a meeting with the staff of the Amphibious Regiment and The 4th Naval Warfare Flotilla and a demonstration of ships and equipment. This is followed by a review of Swedish-Finnish defence co-operation with the participation of Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen, the Ministry for Defence's State Secretary Jan-Olof Lind, and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Micael Bydén. A roundtable discussion with security and defence policy experts ends the visit.
Swedish Academy
Mrs Haukio and the Queen visit the Swedish Academy, where they are welcomed by the Permanent Secretary Mats Malm. Together with members Tua Forsström and Åsa Wikforss, they talk about the Swedish Academy's work with dictionaries, prizes/scholarships, the Nobel Prize in literature and the publication of books. In the Stock Hall they get information about the hall itself and look at the exhibition of archive objects.
The Nordic Museum, Ukrainian Children Activity Center
Mrs Haukio and the Queen visit the Nordic Museum and the Ukrainian Children Activity Center, run in collaboration with the non-profit organization Beredskapslyftet (Skill Shift Initiativ). The Nordic Museum's director Sanne Houby Nielsen, Beredskapslyftet's chairman Malin Leffler and co-founder Fredrik Hillelson welcome. After a short introduction about Beredskapslyftet, the Activity Center's Ukrainian project manager Denys Grodyenko talks about the background to and work at the center.
Luncheon in Stockholm City Hall
The City of Stockholm gives a luncheon with Cecilia Brinck, President of the City Council, and Anna König Jerlmyr, Mayor of Stockholm, as hosts. The presidential couple, the royal couple, the crown princess couple and the prince couple will participate in the luncheon in the Golden Hall.
Afternoon
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, MSB
The Presidential Couple and the Royal Couple visit the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency. They are received by Director General Charlotte Petri Gornitzka. Minister for Justice and Home Affairs Morgan Johansson attends the visit. The Swedish-Finnish co-operation in crisis preparedness and civil defence will be presented and examples will be given of how the operational work is carried out.
The presidential couple's reception
The presidential couple is hosting a reception in honor of their Swedish hosts.
Evening
Farewell
The state visit ends when the King and Queen take farewell of their guests at a ceremony at the Royal Palace.
Inkommande statsbesök från Finland – programmet i korthet _ Kungahuset
Press release from the Office of the President of the Republic of Finland
Co-operation between Finland and Sweden in changing security policy situation to be discussed during President Niinistö’s state visit to Sweden
The welcome ceremony is at 10 o'clock.
Co-operation between Finland and Sweden in changing security policy situation to be discussed during President Niinistö's state visit to Sweden - Presidentti
On 17 May, a state visit by President of Finland Sauli Niinistö, together with Mrs Jenni Haukio, to Sweden will begin at the invitation of H.M. The King. The public is welcome to attend the welcome ceremony at the Inner Courtyard at the Royal Palace. The welcome ceremony starts at 10.00. Entry from kl. 08.30. Please arrive well in advance of the start of the ceremony to undergo security clearance upon entry and to avoid queuing.
Statsbesök från Finland – delta vid välkomnandet _ Kungahuset
On 17 May, Speaker Andreas Norlén will receive the President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, in connection with the President's state visit to Sweden. In addition to the Speaker, the President also meets members from the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Defense Committee of the Riksdag.
During his visit to the Riksdag, President Niinistö will give a speech in the Second Chamber Hall at 12.00 with the heading "A responsible, strong and stable Nordic region". The speech is in Swedish and on the web there is interpretation into English. The speech takes about 20 minutes, after which the members of the Riksdag can ask questions if time allows.
Finlands president besöker riksdagen - Riksdagen
