One of Finland’s most impressive diplomats in the last two decades has been Jari Vilén, an accomplished envoy who served in the Finnish Parliament and represented the National Coalition Party between 1999 to 2007. In August of that same year, Mr. Vilén was tapped as Finland’s Ambassador in Budapest, and by mid-February 2012, he was assumed as Ambassador to Warsaw, which he began later that fall. In 2014, Mr. Vilén was also appointed EU ambassador to the Council of Europe.

During a wide-ranging discussion as a guest on CEA Talk with István Teplán, Amb. Vilén addressed a litany of geopolitical topics in a most volatile time for the continent. In introducing his friend and colleague, Mr. Teplán reminded listeners that Jari Vilén currently has been serving as Ambassador to the Barents and the Northern Dimension in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Amb. Vilén “is very interested in Central Europe, and a great friend of Hungary,” observed Mr. Teplán, saying that the respected envoy has helped with “the democratization process of [Central European] countries for many years.”