President Nikos Christodoulides and his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb praised the “remarkable momentum” of Finnish tourism in Cyprus during the former’s visit to Helsinki on Thursday.

The visit marked the first visit of a Cypriot president to Finland since Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004, with government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis after the meeting pointing out that last year, the number of Finnish tourists travelling to Cyprus grew by 26.1 per cent compared to 2023.

Additionally, he said, there were 82 per cent more Finnish tourists travelling to Cyprus last year than there were in 2019.

Letymbiotis also said the pair had “confirmed the excellent level of bilateral relations” between the two countries, with both then having resolved “to further deepen them in areas of strategic importance, such as shipping, defence, and tourism”.

“Particular emphasis was placed on the prospects for cooperation in the maritime sector,” he added, with Cyprus’ Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis having visited Finland earlier in the week to attend a business forum organised by Cyprus’ embassy in Helsinki.

In addition to bilateral relations, Letymbiotis said, Christodoulides and Stubb also discussed regional and international developments, with “particular reference” having been made to the ongoing war in Ukraine, as well as to “transatlantic relations, and to the geopolitical instability in the wider Middle East region”.

Letymbiotis said Christodoulides had “highlighted the role that Cyprus and Finland can play through their firm commitment to the principles of international law”.

Christodoulides and Stubb also discussed regional and international developments, with “particular reference” having been made to the ongoing war in Ukraine

Christodoulides also informed Stubb about the state of preparations for Cyprus’ holding of the Council of the European Union’s rotating presidency in the first half of next year, as well as the “priorities” the Cypriot government will set for its six-month term.

The pair also spoke about the Cyprus problem, with Christodoulides “expressing his appreciation” for Finland’s “longstanding contribution” to the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp) and the “firm, principled stance it maintains” on the Cyprus problem at large.

Letymbiotis said Christodoulides had “briefed his Finnish counterpart on the latest developments on the Cyprus issue”, focusing on efforts to restart negotiations and “the momentum being created following the informal meeting in Geneva” in March.

Additionally, Letymbiotis said, “special reference” was made to the appointment of Austrian Johannes Hahn as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s envoy for the Cyprus problem.

He said Hahn’s appointment “reflects the EU’s enhanced engagement in the effort to restart the Cyprus problem”.

Christodoulides also briefed Stubb on his forthcoming meeting with UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin, which is set to take place on Saturday.

Holguin’s appointment, Letymbiotis added, “underlines the continued active engagement of the international community on the Cyprus issue and the importance of resuming substantive talks as soon as possible”.

Letymbiotis concluded his remarks by saying that Christodoulides had “pointed out that Cyprus and Finland, two countries with different geographical but converging geopolitical characteristics, can function as pillars of stability, European cohesion, and international peace”.

Christodoulides is to remain in Finland on Friday, when he is set to visit the country’s parliament. There, he will meet the country’s Parliament Speaker Jussi Halla-aho and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.