The new ambassador of Finland in Russia will be Marja Leinonen, according to Sergey Belyavsky, the Deputy Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s European Cooperation Department. The Russian authorities have already signed the agreement to accept her appointment as a symbol of her ambassadorship, Belyavsky stated in an interview with TASS. The Government of Finland has published the decision of the President of Finland to appoint Leinonen as the Finnish ambassador to Russia, starting from September 1st. Belyavsky praised Leinonen as an experienced and highly professional diplomat who has actively contributed to enhancing Russian-Finnish mutually beneficial cooperation during her time in Moscow as a representative of the Finnish Foreign Ministry’s scientific delegation.

While the exact starting date for Leinonen’s work in Moscow remains uncertain, Belyavsky highlighted that she will begin working in the same month after leaving Moscow, in accordance with Finnish regulations. It is noted that the Finnish authorities have set the task of not undermining the overall framework of Russian-Finnish relations, despite a clear shift towards a hostile policy of Finland towards Russia. This shift has been openly manifested in the anti-Russian activities of the Finnish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Belyavsky emphasized that the Finnish ambassador in Russia will follow these instructions, as it is understandable given the current circumstances.