The war in Ukraine is not only a European war, but has a great power political dimension to the whole world. China and the US are keeping an eye on each other – and the EU is trying to defend its interests in between.
Director of the Foreign Policy Institute Mika Aaltola says China has its own plans and doesn’t want Russia to lose the war. Russia’s military assistance would, however, be a big risk. Europe and the United States cannot let Russia win.
– The tiger of the East, China, is currently in a slightly hesitant situation. It knows that what happens on the Ukrainian stage also has consequences for Asia and China’s future visions. China is at a crossroads, and things are progressing to a critical point – not only in Ukraine, but also in the big picture, on a geostrategic level, Aaltola said at the end of last month at A-Studio.
The big picture also includes Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership and NATO’s expansion to the north. On the road to membership, this week they are again trying to clean up the mess with Hungary and Turkey. NATO expansion does not please Russia, but neither does China.
The president of the Republic Sauli Niinistö is currently visiting the United States. There, he has discussions with senators about Ukraine and Finland’s NATO membership. The traveling business delegation is looking for new positions in the market, where more and more products made in the USA are preferred.
The president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will also arrive in Washington at the end of the week. Trade problems, Ukraine and relations with China are on display. But what is Europe’s part in the big picture?
On Saturday at 10:05 a.m., Mika Aaltola, director of the Foreign Policy Institute, will be interviewed live on Ykkösaamu on TV1 and Radio 1. The interviewer is Marjo Näkki.
You can send questions to Mika Aaltola by e-mail at [email protected] or using the attached form.