HELSINKI - Finland will withdraw from the Barents Euro-Arctic Council after 2025 but will continue cooperation in the northern regions through other channels, the Finnish Government announced on Thursday.

Changes in the European security situation and the international environment have affected regional cooperation in the north, the government explained in a press release.

"Finland's goal is a stable and prosperous Nordic region, and we will continue to invest in it through various forms of cooperation," said Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen. Finland will continue to cooperate with both Sweden and Norway, as well as in international forums such as the Nordic Council of Ministers, said the release.

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As a result of the withdrawal from the Council, Finland will also withdraw from the Agreement on the Establishment of the International Barents Secretariat. The Finnish President will decide on the withdrawal from the agreement on Friday.

Established in 1993, the Barents Euro-Arctic Council is a regional intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote stability and sustainable development in the Barents Region. Its members included Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the European Commission. In September 2023, Russia announced its withdrawal from the Council.