What is your reading of US President Trump starting talks with Putin over the heads of Ukraine and Europe?
ORPO: I have to emphasise at the start that there cannot be peace without Ukraine and over [the head of] Europeans and Europe. We waited for the US elections so we could start negotiations for peace, and we waited some weeks for the president of the United States to start the game of the negotiations. Now it happened. It’s not a surprise that he called Putin directly, it was a start.
Now, we have to take care of those principles – not without Ukraine, not without Europe – because it is not possible to make a deal without the European Union because only the European Union can decide, for example, security arrangements or Ukraine’s EU membership or on the reconstruction of Ukraine. There must be a place in the negotiations.
But what we need now is a common European position.
How quickly can we have a common European position?
ORPO: As soon as possible – that’s why we are here today to push this process forward. We could have an extraordinary European Council meeting. I [had] a discussion on this issue with European Council President [António] Costa. But we, in any case, have to take care that the voices of the EU leaders and member states will be heard.
What role do you foresee for Europe in peace talks?
ORPO: When we start, the negotiations must be fair for Ukrainians and fair for Europeans. It means that not only two – Putin and Trump, the US and Russia – can negotiate.
Finland hosted the Trump-Putin talks in 2018, and it was a disaster. Do you believe President Trump is naive? What are the consequences if this goes wrong?
ORPO: After many discussions, also here in Munich, the Americans need to understand that we have to find a solution together, they need to understand how complex the whole negotiation is.
Are European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine a solution if they are not protected by NATO Article 5, as the Americans have suggested?
ORPO: It’s a difficult question. We have to prepare it together with the United States and try to find a sustainable solution for security arrangements in Ukraine. It’s clear that the partnership of the United States would be very important.
We Europeans, of course, have to be ready, too. However, in Finland we are a frontline country – we have to also take care of our own security. I am sure we can find a solution, but let’s try to find it together with the United States.
After US President JD Vance’s remarks, do you feel that the Trump administration is taking Europeans seriously, as an equal partner?
ORPO: They have to. We are the most important ally for the United States in security and in trade. We have to trust ourselves. We are equal partners, and we have to behave like that.
What should peace in Europe, very practically, look like for you in the future? Finland just joined NATO, and the threat from Russia is not likely to go away…
ORPO: First on Ukraine, this must be based on an independent, sovereign Ukraine, one that can join the European Union, and apply for NATO membership they want. They are welcome.
We cannot rewrite security arrangements in Europe – it’s not possible.
Lasting peace can only be when Europe is strong enough. A key part of that is strengthening our defence fast, and make it much stronger than it is today. This is part of lasting peace.
Finland has been very concerned about how to secure its border with Russia, how concerned are you about Russian activity in the Arctic?
ORPO: If you look at the map, there are 1,340 kilometres of common border with NATO and Russia, Finland and Russia, and the EU and Russia. The area bordering Saint Petersburg and Murmansk is a very strategic area; we know how important the Arctic and Nordics are today, militarily and in terms of natural resources.
I am quite sure that if and when there will be peace in Ukraine, Russia will put more military attention to the Arctic and the border to Finland. We are worried, but we are not afraid, and we are prepared. Today, we are a member of NATO, we are not alone.
Since you mention NATO, that means you plan to advocate for a bigger troop presence in the Nordics?
ORPO: Yes. We have our strong own defence, which is part of NATO. We are now building our NATO membership. We have a Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States, we practice with our allies. It means that we are making our defence stronger every day.
[OM]
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Publish date : 2025-02-15 07:23:00
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