President of Finland addresses Washington legislature

In Washington’s 134 years of statehood, it was a primary.

Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday welcomed a overseas of head of state, President Sauli Niinistö of Finland, to the state capitol to handle a joint session of the legislature.

President Niinistö informed lawmakers that each Finland and Washington are forerunners in preventing local weather change.

“Sustainability shouldn’t be seen as a sacrifice however a chance. Combatting local weather change is totally essential for the survival of our planet nevertheless it additionally makes financial sense,” Niinistö stated.

Final yr, Inslee visited Finland on a commerce mission and talked with inexperienced corporations trying to do enterprise in Washington.

“Finland is basically main in improvement of know-how to struggle local weather change,” Inslee stated Monday.

The Olympia occasion marked the start of president Niinistö’s tour of america.

It comes at a time each Finland and Sweden are petitioning to affix NATO.

“Finland’s NATO membership won’t solely maximize our personal safety, we might be a robust contributor for the safety of the entire alliance,” Niinistö informed legislators.

Turkey is the holdout in negotiations to increase NATO, that are going down with the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine.

“The larger the challenges we face the extra essential that we face them collectively. Europe wants america, however america additionally wants Europe,” Niinistö stated in his deal with.

©2023 Cox Media Group