Ambassador Janne Jõesaar-Ruusalu

Photo: Matti Porre/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

Estonian Ambassador to Finland Janne Jõesaar-Ruusalu presented her credentials to the President of the Republic of Finland, Alexander Stubb, on 30 September 2025. In the conversation following the credential presentation ceremony, the President of Finland and the Estonian ambassador reaffirmed the special and very close relations between Estonia and Finland.“ Relations between Estonia and Finland are excellent; we are connected by a special bond of kinship and friendship. Our economies are closely integrated, and Finland is Estonia’s most important trading partner. In addition, a very large Estonian community lives in Finland,” the ambassador told the president. “Finland’s accession to NATO has further strengthened relations and opened opportunities for closer defence cooperation.”

The ambassador expressed appreciation for Finland’s diplomatic efforts aimed at ending Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. “We must respond jointly to Russia’s recent airspace violations, strengthen sanctions, and continue to support Ukraine comprehensively. Estonia provides military aid to Ukraine amounting to 0.25% of its GDP every year,” said Jõesaar-Ruusalu.

Janne Jõesaar-Ruusalu was born on 22 September 1969 in Tallinn and graduated from the University of Tartu in 1993 with a degree in Mathematics. She has over 30 years of experience in the Estonian Foreign Service. She has held a number of positions related, inter alia, to European affairs, Nordic-Baltic cooperation, Baltic Sea regional cooperation, and bilateral relations with European countries. She has also worked at the Estonian Embassy in Helsinki as Deputy Head of Mission from 2008 to 2011. From 2016 to 2020, Jõesaar-Ruusalu was the Estonian Ambassador to Norway and Iceland. From 2020, Jõesaar-Ruusalu was the Director for South-Eastern Europe and EU General Affairs. From 2022 to 2025, she also served as Estonia’s non-resident ambassador to Kosovo. Ambassador Jõesaar-Ruusalu is married to Mr Rein Ruusalu, and they have two adult daughters.