Helsinki will no longer pursue special relations with its neighbor.
According to President Alexander Stubb, Russia has suffered a serious setback in the war in Ukraine.
- All the main goals they set at the beginning of the war have failed.
At a press conference in Kyiv, Stubb stated that Ukraine currently has the advantage and called for abandoning the narrative that Ukraine cannot win the war.
In the Yle program "Ykkösaamu," President Stubb listed three circumstances that indicate Russia's defeat in the war.
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Russia wanted to make Ukraine Russian, but it is becoming European.
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Russia wanted to prevent NATO expansion, but Finland and Sweden have joined the alliance.
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Russia wanted to keep Europe's defense spending low, but it is now rising to five percent of GDP.
- The question remains: why is Russia willing to kill hundreds of thousands of people for this goal? There is no answer to that, Stubb stated.
Additionally, the president reminded that Ukraine now has one of the most modern armed forces in the world.
- They are capable of creating military technologies during the war that we do not have, for example, in the field of drones.
President Alexander Stubb rejected the idea of separate special relations between Finland and Russia but sees no obstacles to bilateral contacts.
He emphasized that Finland is a small country. Its room for maneuver depends on its ability to build relationships with other states.
When asked about new relations, the president replied that the situation is difficult to assess. Everything starts with a peace agreement on Ukraine and the restoration of trust.
- Currently, relations are pragmatic. Border guards and diplomats maintain contacts, Stubb said.
The president stressed the need for coordination with the EU in relations with Russia.
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