Niinistö spoke about Europe’s crisis resistance in London at the Chatham House think tank to a full house. Europe is not at war yet, he estimates.
18:13•Updated 18:33
LONDON President Sauli Niinistö believes that the President of the United States Donald Trump’s threats of additional sanctions against Russia may act as a deterrent. He says that Joe Biden the administration’s latest sanctions have already bitten the Russian economy and limited oil exports.
– If there are more sanctions or realistic threats, Russia must take them into account, Niinistö said after speaking to in London At the event of the Chatham House think tank.
Niinistö questioned Europe’s efforts regarding peace in Ukraine in his speech in London. He is bothered by the fact that Europe has refused to speak to the president Vladimir Putin with, but is waiting for the results from the negotiations between Trump and Putin.
– Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholtz received heavy criticism when he called Putin. But suddenly we are in a situation where Trump is talking to Putin. Such contradictory behavior does not leave a very convincing picture of Europe’s ability in my opinion, Niinistö said.
Niinistö presented China as Ukraine’s peacemaker.
– The peacemaker’s task is twofold. It guarantees that the enemy will not attack and that the guaranteed state will remain in the peace treaty. If the West guarantees Ukraine, it would be good for China to guarantee Russia, Niinistö estimates.
Niinistö reminded that the tension in Ukraine will continue for a long time, even if peace can be negotiated.
Niinistö spoke at Chatham House about the report he wrote for the European Commission last year on Europe’s crisis preparedness.
– We have only one problem in Europe: we don’t have enough weapons or troops, he said and made the audience roar.
Niinistö estimates that defense spending will be increased, as President Trump has demanded. Europe should consider how to use the growing defense budget effectively, especially if the US withdraws from supporting Europe. Compared to the end of the Cold War, the amount of armaments is small.
Niinistö says that Europe is not at war yet, but it must have the ability to act quickly when necessary.
– In the future, we will probably be in a situation where we have to ask what war is. When war is waged with hybrid means in the world of cyber and artificial intelligence as technology develops, the image of war can become blurred, he reflected to .