Finnish president wants Russia excluded from UN Security Council
Finnish President Alexander Stubb supports expanding the U.N. Security Council, abolishing single-member veto rights, and booting out Russia, he told Reuters on Sept. 18.
The Finnish president said he is ready to call for these reforms during the upcoming U.N. Assembly in New York.
According to Stubb, any council member engaged in an illegal war "such as Russia is in right now in Ukraine" should be suspended.
Russia is among the five permanent members of the council, along with the U.S., the U.K., France, and China. Ten other members are selected on a rotating basis.
Calls for reforming the institution, namely some of its tenets established as part of post-World War II order, mounted after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Kyiv has accused Moscow of abusing its veto rights to paralyze the council and prevent any united action regarding the war.
Stubb believes that the number of permanent members should be expanded to 10, including one Latin American country, two African countries, and two Asian countries.
The Finnish president also brought up Ukraine's victory plan, which President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to present during his visit to the U.N.
"He has informed us that 90% is already there and the 10% that he will present is what will be needed for him to win this war," Stubb said.
The Nordic politician called on Kyiv's Western partners to lift their restrictions on long-range strikes.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose country has supplied Ukraine with Storm Shadow long-range missiles, was expected to discuss the matter with U.S. President Joe Biden last week, but no decision has been announced.
Starmer said that the matter would be addressed at the U.N. assembly "with a wider group of individuals."
Kateryna Denisova
