One of the leaders of the Finnish presidential race, Alexander Stubb, said on Thursday that NATO should become "more European" and that his country will remain an important partner for the United States, regardless of whether Donald Trump is re-elected. This was reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
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In an interview with Reuters, Stubb pledged unconditional support for Ukraine and ruled out improving Finland's relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin until Moscow stops its war of aggression in Ukraine.
Politically, there will be no relations with either the Russian president or the Russian political leadership until they stop the war in Ukraine.
It is worth noting that Helsinki's relations with Moscow deteriorated after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and deteriorated even further when Finland joined NATO last April.
Tabb made it clear that he would lean toward the West if elected president.
It is very important that we in Europe take care of our own defense. ... So in this sense, I am very similar to the current Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, who said that we need a more European NATO.
He also made a cautious prediction that in the event of a threat from Russia, Finland would have the support of the United States.
I don't think the Americans will leave us alone, but it's always good to be prepared for a situation where we have to take more responsibility for our own defense.
Recall
Last month, Finland, which is a member of the European Union and NATO, signed a defense cooperation agreement with Washington that gives the US military broad access to the Nordic country, which shares a 1,340 km (830 mile) border with Russia.
Фінляндія продовжує закриття кордону з росією ще на місяць11.01.24, 14:03
At the end of last year, Finland closed its border with Russia to stop asylum seekers from entering the country and claimed that Moscow had organized the influx, a charge the Kremlin denies. The closure was scheduled to last until January 15, but this week it was extended until February 11.
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Stubb, 55, is leading in polls ahead of the presidential election in Finland on January 28. It should be noted that these elections precede this year's presidential elections in neighboring Russia and the United States.
The former prime minister is hoping to succeed Sauli Niinisto, who is retiring at age 75 after two six-year terms, having been nicknamed "Putin's whisperer" for his role in keeping contacts with the Russian leader open before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
In recent months, the conservative Stubb has led most opinion polls. The most recent poll, published by the Helsingin Sanomat on December 26, showed that he was supported by 24% of respondents, while his main opponent, a member of the liberal Green Party, Pekka Haavisto, was supported by 22%.
The second round will be held on February 11 if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote.