President Alexander Stubb and Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho (ps.) are currently on a business trip to Ukraine. Ukrainan reporter Maxim Fedorov follows the visit.
KIEV The president of the Republic Alexander Stubb and the Speaker of the Parliament Jussi Halla-aho (ps.) will visit Kyiv on Wednesday. The main purpose of the trip is the signing of the security agreement with Ukraine.
In addition to this, the day’s program includes a meeting with the president to Volodymyr Zelensky with. The meeting’s agenda included supporting Ukraine, Ukraine’s EU and NATO membership, the current war situation, Zelensky’s peace plan and reconstruction in Ukraine.
The presidents signed a security agreement
Presidents Stubb and Zelenskyi signed the security agreement during the day. With the bilateral agreement, Finland undertakes to supply weapons to Ukraine for years to come.
The scope of the agreement includes, for example, the supply of ammunition, equipping the navy and supporting Ukraine’s own arms production.
Finland also helps Ukraine in maintaining the energy infrastructure and transitioning to green energy.
The agreement also contains a political record that Finland supports Ukraine’s NATO and EU membership.
asked the presidents of Finland and Ukraine at the press conference organized after the signing of the security agreement, whether Finland intends to send troops to Ukraine.
– Now there is no reason to send troops. We support Ukraine financially and armed, and we support Ukraine’s integration into international alliances,
Stubbs said.
According to Zelenskyi, Ukraine primarily hopes that the country’s own forces are fully equipped and able to defend themselves.
At the press conference, Stubb also commented on the attacks on Russian oil refineries in recent weeks.
The president pointed out that Russia only understands strength. Stubb said he doesn’t see the rising oil prices as a result of the attacks as a problem.
– There is always other damage in war, Stubb reasoned.
He did not confirm that Ukraine is behind the attacks on Russian soil.
– Whoever is behind the attacks knows what they’re doing, because they don’t attack civilians, Stubb said.
Visiting the places where the attack started
In the morning, Stubb and Halla-aho visited Hostomel airport, where the Russian attack began two years ago. Among others, Finland’s ambassador to Ukraine was there Jaakko Lehtovirta and Ukraine’s ambassador to Finland Olha Dibrova.
Representatives of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Antonov company that operates the airport showed the guests the aircraft hangars that had been emptied as a result of the war and the wreckage of the Mrija aircraft that had been destroyed in the fighting.
The Antonov An-225, called Mrija or Dream, was the largest aircraft in the world. Its front part was almost completely destroyed, but the back part is currently being dismantled for spare parts. Four of the plane’s six engines were also preserved.
The Ukrainians presented President Stubb with an artillery shell shell engraved with the coat of arms of Kyiv and the words National Guard and Territorial Defense.
Stubb’s second trip abroad as president
This is President Stubb’s second trip abroad. At the beginning of March, the president visited Norway to learn about NATO’s Nordic Response exercise together with the Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Støren with. A state visit to Sweden by the king is planned for the end of April Karle XVI Gustav from the invitation.
President Sauli Niinistö visited Ukraine during the war in January 2023. He was shown the ruins of Borodyanka and Butša, which were then liberated from occupation.
Speaker Halla-aho last visited Kyiv in November of last year. He then gave a speech to the Ukrainian parliament in the Ukrainian language, which delighted the Ukrainians.
The news is updated.
Correction: The term defense agreement has been changed to security agreement at 14:36.