Foreign Policy | Niinistö: The USA’s interest in Northern Finland is a good thing, but its root cause is worrying

Porto

President Sauli Niinistö pours confidence in the strong continuation of the armed support of Ukraine, despite the gravel voices heard in a few countries.

Ukraine’s supporters have been particularly worried about Poland’s possible policy change.

Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki announced in September, that his country would no longer continue sending arms to Ukraine. The Polish Foreign Ministry softened the stance later.

Poland has been one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters. Niinistö does not think this has changed.

“As for unity in fully supporting Ukraine, it seems now that Poland’s position has not changed at all. Yes, we still heard strong support from President Duda,” Niinistö commented after the informal meeting of the presidents of the EU countries in Portugal on Friday evening.

President of Poland Andrzej Duda was one of the state leaders who participated in the meeting. At the international press conference organized on Friday evening, Duda made a passionate plea for Ukraine to be quickly accepted into the EU and NATO. He also talked with Niinistö during the event.

Portuguese The main topics of discussion at the event organized in Porto were European security and the fate of Ukraine. The so-called Arraiolos group meeting was hosted by the Portuguese president Marcelo de Rebelo Sousa.

The group includes fifteen presidents of republics representing parliamentary democracy.

In addition to HS, Iltalehti participated in Niinistö’s press conference on Friday evening. At that time, a large-scale attack by Palestinian groups against Israel had not yet begun. Niinistö comment on it on Saturday saying that the violence must be stopped.

Presidents the participants of the meeting especially thought about how united the European aid front can remain, so that Ukraine could achieve a just peace.

The Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, justified his confusing announcement about the end of arms aid to Ukraine by the depletion of the domestic arms stockpile. According to him, Poland’s own defense readiness should be strengthened.

Parliamentary elections will be held in Poland a week from now on Sunday, and the Prime Minister’s statement was seen as part of the election campaign. Morawiecki’s EU-sceptic and right-wing populist Law and Justice Party (PiS) may be forced out of office after eight years of government, even if it wins the election, according to forecasts.

Instead, a pro-EU coalition government could be formed by the leader of the current opposition Citizens’ Forum Donald Tusk. Tusk served as President of the European Council from 2014 to 2019 and before that as Prime Minister of his country.

“Apparently [Morawieckille] some kind of accident happened or he was misunderstood. It was about not handing over new weapons that Poland itself is now acquiring [Ukrainaan]”, Niinistö interpreted.

IN SLOVAKIA according to the president, instead, it would seem that the assistance to Ukraine will not be continued.

The Russian president won the Slovak parliamentary elections last week Vladimir Putin sympathizing Robert Ficon the left-wing populist and brash Smer party.

The Prime Minister of the outgoing government L’udovit Ódor additionally confirmed on Fridaythat Slovakia will suspend military aid for the time being.

“The support ends – that was it [Ficon] main messages. And this seems to be the case now. The practical significance is very small, because Slovakia must have already given more than what can be given.”

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“We no longer have very many existing international agreements on arms disarmament and control.”

In turn, the domestic politics of the United States is paralyzed drifting of Congress into quarrels.

They have contributed to the freezing of the additional aid package granted to Ukraine, at least for the time being. US support for the success of the defense battle in Ukraine is vital, but some Trump Republican representatives are fiercely opposed to additional funding.

“In the United States, we have mostly ended up in an internal political stalemate, which is quite difficult. But let’s start with the fact that the president [Joe] Biden stated, however, that one way or another the support for Ukraine will continue,” Niinistö said.

Worn out weeks are gloomy news About Russia’s possible new or already conducted nuclear tests on the islands of Novaya Zemlya in the Arctic Ocean.

Putin increased deterrence by announcing on Thursdaythat Russia has successfully tested an intercontinental cruise missile called the flying Chernobyl.

Putin announced the development of the nuclear-powered Burevestnik or Storm Fairy cruise missile in 2018. Now, according to Putin, who spoke at a public event in Sochi, Russia, the tests have been completed.

The development of the Sarmat missile system, which is part of Russia’s doomsday arsenal, was also finished according to Putin’s claim on Thursday. On the other hand, he dismissed assumptions that Russia was lowering the threshold to use nuclear weapons.

The Duma, the Russian federal parliament, said that it intends to deal with withdrawing from the nuclear test ban treaty in its next session.

President Niinistö considers the possible separation “very regrettable”.

“[Se on] a continuation of the fact that we no longer have very many existing international agreements on arms disarmament and control. One by one they have disappeared and that is a very bad thing. They have, however, tried to build predictability and stability to some extent,” Niinistö said to HS and IL.

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“Unfortunately, it seems that [sotilaallista] the focus is shifting to the arctic regions.”

Finland is, as a new member of NATO, separately negotiating a bilateral defense cooperation agreement with the United States.

If implemented, it would, among other things, give the US armed forces the opportunity to use Finnish soil and bases without obstacles for training and storing material.

The agreement known by the DCA abbreviation comes from English words defense cooperation agreement.

In these negotiations that started last year, the United States has shown interest especially in Northern Finland and Lapland there and Lapland’s air force. This is positive for Niinistö, because the Finns would not be defending their vast northern region alone.

“They have undoubtedly had an interest in Northern Finland. It is quite a good thing from our point of view that others are also taking care of Northern Finland, where the distances are long and our own strength is quite hard.”

The reason for the US interest is “obvious” from the president.

“The situation in the North Atlantic is already perceived in the United States as a very defensive element. Unfortunately, it seems that [sotilaallista] the focus is shifting to the arctic regions.”

According to him, the change in the geopolitical focus manifests as an “unfortunately unstable increase in military activity”.

Presidents the meeting in Porto concluded an unofficial super week of Ukraine support meetings in Europe. The European EU leaders, ministers and presidents assure without hesitation that Ukraine will not be left alone under any circumstances. The whole of Europe’s future is at stake, the message goes.

The super week started in Kiev with an informal event of EU foreign ministers on Monday. The Finnish foreign minister traveled to Kyiv Elina Valtonen (kok), who at the same time met the president to Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky was also met by the Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (cook) on Thursday in Spain. The third informal summit of the European political community was held in the Andalusian city of Granada. During that time, emphasis was also placed on the continuation of sanctions against Russia. Among other things, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, which remained outside the EU, also arrived in Granada Rishi Sunak as well as political leaders from countries outside Europe.

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