Finland’s President calls for resilience as Kyiv corruption scandal tests European backing – Firstpost

A ceasefire in Ukraine is unlikely before spring, and European allies must maintain their support despite the corruption scandal in Kiev, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told The Associated PressHe said Europe will need “sissu” – the Finnish word for endurance, resilience and patience – to face the coming winter as Russia continues hybrid attacks and information warfare across the continent,

Stubb’s position as a key European negotiator between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky puts him at the center of diplomatic efforts. Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre (830 mi) border with Russia and, after losing about 10% of its territory to Moscow in the 1940s, abandoned decades of military neutrality to join NATO following Russia’s full-scale invasion. Stubb said he used his good relationship with Trump to present Finland’s perspective – the pair have played golf together and talk often. “If he accepts one out of 10 ideas, that’s good,” he said.

Speaking at a military base north of Helsinki on Saturday, Stubb watched as Finnish volunteers, wearing jackets emblazoned with the word “sissu”, trained in freezing conditions. He said Zelensky should swiftly address allegations of bribery and embezzlement, warning that the scandal would benefit Russia. Nevertheless, he urged European leaders to increase financial and military support for Kiev as Russia rapidly gains ground on the battlefield.

Ceasefire status and pressure on Moscow

Stubb said he was “not very optimistic” about achieving a ceasefire or starting peace talks this year, although he said it would be positive to “achieve something” by March. He identified three central questions on the path to any ceasefire: security guarantees for Ukraine, reconstruction of its economy and understanding on territorial claims.

To achieve peace, he said Trump and European leaders must step up pressure on Russia and President Vladimir Putin, who “fundamentally want to deny Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” with the goal remaining unchanged nearly four years into the conflict. Stubb pointed to increasing military pressure on Moscow, as well as hundreds of billions of dollars of frozen Russian assets held in Europe as potential collateral to support Ukraine.

He praised Trump for sanctioning Russian energy companies Lukoil and Rosneft in October, calling it “an excellent job,” but said more steps were needed to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to attack Russia’s “military or defense industry.” Last month Trump rejected a Ukrainian request for long-range Tomahawk missiles, which could theoretically allow strikes deep into Russia, although Kiev currently lacks the launchers or platforms to use them. Stubb indicated that Ukraine continues to negotiate with the US for additional firepower.