“Such a role can play a very important role in resolving the crisis in Ukraine”

The scale of Russia’s attack has also shocked Finland’s long-term prime minister Paavo Lippo.

He recently judged to be the president Sauli Niinistö is seeking a diplomatic solution to Ukraine ‘s war in Washington on Friday, where he will meet with the president Joe Biden.

– The President of Finland can play an important role in that, he says.

He does not want to assess whether US-Finnish defense cooperation or NATO will be discussed in Washington on Friday.

Regarding Russia, Lipponen’s assessment is that Russia will now carry out Putin’s mission in the most drastic way possible and will take it to the end. He says his perception of Russia has changed since the conquest of Crimea. In particular, Putin’s declaration on Russia’s historic mission to Ukraine was worrying. The war may escalate further.

– There are concerns about the possibility of enlargement.

The war has already escalated into massive sanctions imposed by the EU and the US, to which Russia is likely to respond soon with its own sanctions. At worst, they affect important energy trade.

Paavo Lipponen has had a significant impact on both Finland’s EU and Russia relations.

During his tenure as Prime Minister in 1995–2003, Lipponen (sd.) Was known as a pro-EU politician who openly supported a strong Union and especially the strengthening of its economy.

The same has continued since his career as a politician. Lipponen has advised the Swiss company Nord Stream 2 AG, which has been responsible for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

The largest owner of Nord Stream 2 is the Russian gas giant Gazprom. There are also several European companies in the background, including the energy giant Uniper, most of which is owned by Fortum Finland.

Two gas pipelines come from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea. The newer of these was completed last fall, but has not been commissioned.

Lipponen consults the Swiss company that built the pipeline through Cosmopolis Oy, which it founded.

No more consulting. It was reported on Tuesday that the Swiss company had filed for bankruptcy. The company crashed under sanctions imposed by the Americans, and the whole Nord Stream 2 project was frozen last week.

At the same time, Lipponen’s consulting agreement, which might otherwise have lasted until next summer, ended.

Lipponen’s consulting role has also been the subject of criticism over the years. Last January, a special committee of the European Parliament criticized former European politicians for advocating for Russia and China. Lipponen was mentioned in the report.

Lipponen does not want to comment on the committee’s statement, but he has not changed his perception of cooperation. He still believes that the energy sector is the best international cooperation, or at least could be.

– When sanctions are lifted, they are imposed by both parties. Everyone will lose.

Russia is Germany’s main supplier of gas, crude oil and coal. In practice, it is highly dependent on Russian energy.

Was it a mistake for Germany and the EU as a whole to rely so much on Russian energy?

According to Lipponen, the mistake is not Russian gas, but the EU’s lack of a coherent energy strategy.

– There have been national solutions, such as the fateful Energiewende in Germany, the decision to abandon nuclear power. Russia was trusted in gas supply in particular, although it continues to supply gas to Western Europe in accordance with the agreements, he replies.

Lipponen also points out that transmission network investments in Europe have been severely neglected. Spain, for example, should have a gas pipeline to the north, and Sweden a better electricity transmission network. According to him, the EU’s gas supply is now a difficult issue.

He does not want to judge whether Nord Stream 2 is permanently buried.

In Lipponen’s opinion, Finland’s own defense has been strengthened almost continuously for several decades.

In the 1990s, Hornet fighters were acquired, the foundations for the current defense system were laid and, above all, NATO was approached as a partner for peace during Lipponen’s term as prime minister.

New equipment has been procured for all branches of the defense, and a contingency force has been set up in the Army, for example. In addition to NATO co-operation, Finland has concluded several co-operation agreements with foreign powers.

In the fall of 2019, it was decided to acquire four new warships for the Navy, and at the end of last year for the Air Force new F-35 fighters from the United States.

Lipponen considers Finland’s security policy to be a success overall, but now courage is needed again.

– Finland has had a credible security policy. I would expect stronger self-esteem from today’s politicians.

With strong self-esteem, Lipponen suggests that politicians believe in their own defense capabilities.

The government parties said on Tuesday that the defense budget will be increased, which is a good thing for Lipponen. He also praises the government’s pursuit of broad-based conclusions in the current situation.

However, the most difficult decision is yet to come: a possible application for membership in the Defense League NATO. In it, Lipponen says that he is on the lines of President Niinistö.

– The matter must be weighed carefully. NATO has been and is really an option.

Lipponen estimates that the state leadership will now play a key role in deciding on the main line of Finland’s defense.

– A referendum can only be held with a yes proposal from the president and a majority of the parties. A non-outcome would be a disaster, he said.

Although the United States has shown that it stands alongside its European allies, Lipponen believes that the EU must strengthen its own defense. However, it requires a strong Union.

– In Finland, we have to ask what we want from the EU. Do we need to develop a strong EU or are we content with the current one? If we see that a strong Union is in the interests of a small country like Finland, we must give the EU the opportunity to acquire the resources it needs.

At the same time, the Union’s defense co-operation must be systematically developed, the defense of member states must be put in order and mutual synergy must be sought, Lipponen says.

Lipponen estimates that the current situation is understood, especially in France and Germany. It’s there to know what the clock has hit, he formulates.

– The EU has been thrown deep, first in Afghanistan, now by Russia in Ukraine.

He considers it a good sign that Germany intends to strengthen its defense, as Finland has already done.

– It was time for Germany to stand up. Finland is a prime example of a state that has taken care of its own defense.

In any case, he has noted the unity of the EU. Unity has been closer than in a pandemic.

– Hopefully, this will eventually be a turning point for closer EU cooperation and integration.

Paavo Lipponen was the chairman of the Finnish Social Democratic Party from 1993 to 2005 and the Prime Minister of Finland from 1995 to 2003.

You can discuss the topic until Friday, March 4th. until 11 p.m.