Europe must stay patient as prospects for Ukraine-Russia ceasefire remain distant, Finnish president says
Europe must stay patient, with a ceasefire to end Russia’s war against Ukraine not expected until at least the springtime, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told The Associated Press in an interview published Nov. 16.
"I'm not very optimistic about achieving a ceasefire or the beginning of peace negotiations, at least this year," Stubb said, adding that to "get something going" by March would be good.
Russian President Vladimir Putin "wants to deny the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine," he added.
U.S. President Donald Trump has attempted to broker a ceasefire or peace deal between Ukraine and Russia in recent months with no success.
Amid the peace efforts, Ukraine and its European allies have repeatedly called for Russia to agree to an immediate ceasefire, but the Kremlin has refused. Moscow regularly strikes Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure as it continues to wage its war.
"I can explain to President Trump what Finland went through or how I see the situation on the battlefield, or how do you deal with Putin? And then, you know, if he accepts one out of 10 ideas, that’s good," Stubb said, describing how he uses his warm relations with the U.S. president to maintain support for Ukraine.
Finland fought off an invasion by the Soviet Union in 1939-1940, known as the Winter War. Finnish fighters inflicted high casualties on Soviet forces, and hostilities ended just over three months later, with Finland losing about 10% of its territory.
As Russia continues hostilities, three key issues Europe must tackle include security guarantees, rebuilding the Ukrainian economy, and territorial claims, the Finnish president said.
Meanwhile, Kyiv is in negotiations with the White House to secure more weapons as it continues to fight off Russia's war, he said.
Stubb noted that Ukraine's allies must step up support for Kyiv despite a recent corruption scandal involving Ukraine's largest energy firms, adding that President Volodymyr Zelensky should swiftly resolve the issue so that Russia is unable to take advantage of the situation.
An investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) alleges that Timur Mindich, a close ally of Zelensky, led a group getting kickbacks from energy construction and procurement, including building defenses for Ukraine's energy infrastructure, and laundering the proceeds.
On Nov. 15, Zelensky announced that Ukraine is beginning a full reset of its key state-owned energy enterprises, involving management overhauls and comprehensive financial audits.
"We are beginning a reboot of key state enterprises operating in the energy sector," he said, adding that new supervisory boards and leadership must be formed quickly, with competitions for new CEOs launched promptly.
