Finland has joined international support for a Saudi-French-led UN declaration pushing a Gaza ceasefire and a two-state solution, though Helsinki remains split on recognizing Palestine.
Finland announced Friday that it is backing a Saudi-French-led declaration calling for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the implementation of a two-state solution, Reuters reported.
The declaration was drafted at a July conference at the United Nations—an event boycotted by both Israel and the United States.
Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen praised the move on X, calling it “the most significant international effort in years to create the conditions for a two-state solution.”
The declaration’s first priority is ending the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, now entering its second year. It also sets out “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” toward establishing two states.
Saudi Arabia and France are spearheading the effort and have urged more UN member states to sign on. France has gone further, preparing to formally recognize a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly later this month—a move reportedly backed by Britain, Canada, and Belgium.
While many countries worldwide have already recognized “Palestine,” Finland has not. Its coalition government remains split on whether to extend formal recognition, despite Valtonen’s endorsement of the broader initiative.
