The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland proposed a €1.155 billion budget for the Foreign Ministry in 2026, cutting €66 million from this year’s allocation as the country tightens spending on diplomacy and development aid, according to a Finnish Foreign Ministry.
The Foreign Ministry’s operating budget will get €245 million but face an extra €6.4 million in savings. Development cooperation takes the biggest hit with €143 million in total cuts – €73 million more than previously planned plus €70 million in new savings. The government says it will spare Finnish civil society organizations from the development aid cuts. Finland plans to merge Business Finland’s foreign operations into its diplomatic service starting January 1, 2026.
The budget cuts come as Finland conducts foreign policy “in a difficult environment that is not easy to predict,” according to the ministry. The country aims to protect its independence and avoid military conflicts while boosting security for Finnish citizens. Finland operates 90 diplomatic and consular offices worldwide, with two temporarily closed.
Development aid will focus on women’s rights, education, and climate action as government priorities. The ministry wants to improve “the position, right to self-determination and sexual and reproductive health of women and girls” as key to controlling population growth. Official development assistance gets €475 million, while Ukraine receives €57 million in humanitarian aid, making it Finland’s largest development cooperation partner during this government term.
Other spending includes €53 million for crisis management forces, €17.5 million for civilian crisis management, and €152 million for international organization fees. EU contributions account for €64 million of that total, with €33 million going to UN organizations and €11 million to NATO.
Finland’s total development spending will hit about €1.034 billion in 2026, equal to roughly 0.35% of gross national income.
