The foreign ministers of Poland and Finland have held talks in Warsaw on EU and defence policy.

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb’s agenda covered the two countries’ participation in the Afghan mission, the situation in the Baltic region, Ukraine, Belarus and the European Union’s Eastern Partnership programme, whose goal is to support reforms in countries such as Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova.

The Polish and Finnish ministers agreed that visa restrictions on Ukrainians, Belarusians and Russians travelling to Western Europe should be eased so that these people could see the benefits of democracy and open markets.

In a lecture hosted by the think-tank demosEuropa – Centre for European Strategy, Mr Stubb said that the European Union has to remain open, liberal and competitive and cannot stop fighting against financial protectionism.

He also listed a new programme of green technologies and a coherent foreign policy among the challenges facing the bloc. (mk)