RECORDING: President of Finland Alexander Stubb gave a speech about world politics and talked to students

On 29 May, the President of Finland Alexander Stubb visited the University of Tartu during his state visit and gave a lecture entitled "World Order after 2022" in the university assembly hall. The university family was invited to express their opinions and ask questions. 

At the invitation of President Alar Karis, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and his wife Suzanne Innes-Stubb paid their first state visit to Estonia on 27–29 May. The visit focused on the relations between Estonia and Finland, strengthening security and defence cooperation, Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine and support for Ukraine. The President of Estonia and Mrs Sirje Karis accompanied them throughout their visit. 

On 28 May, the Finnish and Estonian presidential couples arrived in Tartu and were welcomed in the Town Hall Square by the Mayor of Tartu Urmas Klaas and the people of Tartu. 

On the morning of 29 May, the President of Finland went for a drive on the self-driving shuttle MiCa of the technology company Auve Tech. Thereafter, the presidents were welcomed by the Rector of the University of Tartu Toomas Asser at the Delta Centre, where the international cooperation project SmartEnCity was introduced to the guests. 

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At 10:00 the heads of state arrived at the main building of the University of Tartu for a meeting with Rector Toomas Asser. Then, President Stubb delivered a speech in English entitled “World Order After 2022”, and answered the questions asked by students and others. The discussion was moderated by Piret Ehin, Professor of Comparative Politics at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies. After that, there was the closing ceremony of the state visit in front of the main building. 

Alexander Stubb is a Finnish politician and, from 1 March 2024, President of Finland. He was Prime Minister of Finland in 2014–2015 and Minister of Finance in 2015–2016. From 2004 to 2008, Stubb was a member of the European Parliament. Alexander Stubb is one of the main compilers and leaders of the European Union's Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.

More on the same topic: 

• Rector Toomas Asser received the Commander First Class decoration of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
• Alexander Stubb: value-based realism gives space for foreign policy
• The photo gallery

Watch the recording of the speech and the discussion