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Finnish President Alexander Stubb has expressed his support for Ukraine, emphasizing that it is fighting not only for its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity but also for European security and a rules-based international order.
He shared this message on X on Saturday, according to Ukrinform.
“The heroic fight of Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression is about the existence of Ukraine as a nation. We in Finland understand what Ukraine is going through. Ukraine is fighting not only for her independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also for European security, freedom and the rules-based world order,” Stubb said.
According to him, Ukraine and its democratically elected leaders deserve all our respect and support. “We will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes,” he said.
Commenting on the situation at the White House, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump on February 28, Stubb said on the Ykkosaamu television program that he was “shocked” by the events.
“This was a diplomatic failure, and in the end, there was only one real winner — and he wasn’t even there. That winner is Vladimir Putin,” Yle quoted Stubb as saying.
Stubb emphasized the need for maximum pressure on Russia. He noted that Finland has developed a preliminary three-stage plan for achieving peace. The first stage outlines the necessary steps before a ceasefire can be reached.
“Strengthening Ukraine militarily, politically, and economically, while applying maximum pressure on Russia,” he said.
According to Stubb, Ukraine must take the lead in security matters but should do so with the support of Europe and the United States.
He also stressed that Europe must take responsibility for ensuring the success of this process.
The meeting between the Ukrainian and U.S. presidents at the White House on February 28 was cut short after disagreements arose over facts about the war in Ukraine and trust in negotiations with Putin. A deal on mineral resources between the two countries was not signed.
Following this incident, European leaders expressed their support for Ukraine.
Commenting on the situation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that such disputes, like the one that occurred at the White House during his meeting with Donald Trump, are not good for either side. However, he emphasized that Ukraine “cannot change our Ukrainian attitude toward the Russians” and does not want them to continue killing Ukrainians.
