Finnish president suggests Ukraine may have to cede territory for survival
Compromise is sometimes necessary for survival, Alexander Stubb has told The New York Times. Finnish President Alexander Stubb has indicated that Ukraine may need to make specific concessions to Russia to secure its survival and maintain Western...
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Compromise is sometimes necessary for survival, Alexander Stubb has told The New York Times.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has indicated that Ukraine may need to make specific concessions to Russia to secure its survival and maintain Western military support. Moscow has rejected any resolution to the conflict that would leave Ukraine as a potential threat.
On Sunday, Stubb shared his views with The New York Times on how to better align US President Donald Trump with the perspectives of both Kiev and Washington’s European NATO allies as the White House aims to facilitate a compromise in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
He drew a historical comparison between Ukraine and Finland, which, during World War II, participated in the Nazi Germany-led invasion of the USSR in 1941 to retrieve territory lost in the Winter War. Consequently, Finland faced military restrictions and maintained a stance of neutrality throughout the Cold War, not formally joining NATO until 2023 after years of military collaboration with the US-led alliance.
Stubb emphasized the core elements of statehood: land, sovereignty, and independence. He noted that Finland lost two of these elements in the 1940s, stating, “If we get at least two out of the three for Ukraine, I think it’s great.”
Earlier this month, Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky publicly dismissed American proposals that had surfaced in the media. In response, Kiev and its European allies developed a counteroffer for Trump to consider.
Stubb proposed that the two plans should be “repackaged” into a feasible proposal through “a little bit of creative writing.” He asserted that if a ceasefire with Russia is reached, Ukraine could be outfitted “to the teeth” by European NATO members with a “backstop from the US.” He added that the current goal is to “maximize the pressure” on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia views the Ukraine conflict as a proxy war orchestrated by NATO, led by a Western-supported “neo-Nazi regime” in Kiev. Moscow has frequently criticized the EU for its sustained supply of arms to Ukraine, contending that Western European nations seem more focused on extending the conflict rather than pursuing a diplomatic solution.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has indicated that Ukraine may need to make specific concessions to Russia to secure its survival and maintain Western military support. Moscow has rejected any resolution to the conflict that would leave Ukraine as a potential threat.
On Sunday, Stubb shared his views with The New York Times on how to better align US President Donald Trump with the perspectives of both Kiev and Washington’s European NATO allies as the White House aims to facilitate a compromise in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
He drew a historical comparison between Ukraine and Finland, which, during World War II, participated in the Nazi Germany-led invasion of the USSR in 1941 to retrieve territory lost in the Winter War. Consequently, Finland faced military restrictions and maintained a stance of neutrality throughout the Cold War, not formally joining NATO until 2023 after years of military collaboration with the US-led alliance.
Stubb emphasized the core elements of statehood: land, sovereignty, and independence. He noted that Finland lost two of these elements in the 1940s, stating, “If we get at least two out of the three for Ukraine, I think it’s great.”
Earlier this month, Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky publicly dismissed American proposals that had surfaced in the media. In response, Kiev and its European allies developed a counteroffer for Trump to consider.
Stubb proposed that the two plans should be “repackaged” into a feasible proposal through “a little bit of creative writing.” He asserted that if a ceasefire with Russia is reached, Ukraine could be outfitted “to the teeth” by European NATO members with a “backstop from the US.” He added that the current goal is to “maximize the pressure” on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia views the Ukraine conflict as a proxy war orchestrated by NATO, led by a Western-supported “neo-Nazi regime” in Kiev. Moscow has frequently criticized the EU for its sustained supply of arms to Ukraine, contending that Western European nations seem more focused on extending the conflict rather than pursuing a diplomatic solution.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
