ISTANBUL

Finland on Thursday announced that the country will withdraw from the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC) after 2025, citing changes in the European security landscape and the international environment.

The council’s framework no longer aligns with modern needs, Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said in a statement.

"Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Barents cooperation was an effective channel for Finland to interact with others in the northern regions. However, this form of cooperation no longer meets today's needs, and it creates overlapping structures," Valtonen explained the decision to withdraw from the Barents Region's intergovernmental cooperation body, which has six members.

"Finland's goal is a stable and prosperous Nordic region, and we will continue to invest in it through various forms of cooperation," she said.

Despite announcing the country’s decision to leave the BEAC, she pleaded that Finland would continue its commitment to northern cooperation through other avenues.

Bilateral engagements with Sweden and Norway, as well as collaboration in forums like the Nordic Council of Ministers, will remain priorities, the statement said, adding that the government is also advancing plans to strengthen northern Finland’s regional strategy.

A draft program currently under review includes a proposal for a joint strategic agenda with Norway and Sweden to enhance collaboration across the northern regions.

Finland will also withdraw from the Agreement on the Establishment of the International Barents Secretariat as part of the planned withdrawal from the BEAC, with President Alexander Stubb expected to make a formal announcement on Friday following a government motion in parliament.

Established in 1993, the BEAC serves as a platform for regional cooperation in the Barents Region, covering the northernmost parts of Finland, Sweden, Norway, and northwest Russia.

The council aims to promote stability, sustainable development, and collaboration on issues such as environmental protection, indigenous peoples' rights, and economic growth.

Member states include Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and Russia, along with representatives of the EU.