An armistice in Ukraine is unlikely before spring, and European allies must maintain their support despite the corruption scandal affecting Kiev, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told the Associated Press.
He described the attitude Europe should adopt in the coming period using the Finnish term “sisu”, which means endurance, resilience, and strength. Europeans must demonstrate sisu to help Ukraine get through the winter months, he said, while Russia continues its hybrid attacks and information warfare across the continent.
Stubb, who has a good relationship with the American president through their shared passion for golf, presents himself as one of the key European interlocutors who could mediate between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I can explain to President Trump Finland’s past experience with Russia or how I see the situation on the battlefield or how to deal with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. If he accepts one out of ten ideas, that’s good,” he said.
Stubb spoke on Saturday with AP journalists from a military base north of the capital Helsinki, where Finnish volunteers participate in military training. Wearing a jacket inscribed with “sisu”, he watched them perform exercises to evacuate wounded soldiers from a conflict zone at freezing temperatures.
The Finnish president believes that Zelensky should quickly address the corruption issue regarding the state company Energoatom, emphasizing that the scandal plays into Russia’s hands. Meanwhile, European leaders should find solutions to increase financial and military support for Kiev, which is facing gains from Russia on the battlefield.
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