It is often assumed that strategies are chosen on the basis of careful thought and objective facts, but strategic culture – the lived and inherited experiences of decision makers – is sometimes more influential. As we try to gauge how Vladimir Putin will respond to Ukraine’s courageous resistance, two Soviet/Russian military experiences can help us […]
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 suggested that one day the only remaining nuclear risk would come from electricity production. Perhaps it was the whistling, soothing introduction of the Scorpio winds of change that led my naïve 18-year-old brain to believe that some nations could resolve differences through diplomacy without the restraint of […]
Finland, where I served as U.S. Ambassador for nearly four years, is making headlines thanks to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. On Friday, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö met with President Joe Biden at the White House. Finland’s defense minister is traveling to Washington this week for talks at the Pentagon. Finnish friends joke about where […]
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/NKAI7CBXPFEJ7J4PM6FAYF6F2M.jpg)
HELSINKI – Nordic governments are stepping up defense cooperation and preparedness planning amid regional tensions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Nordic states are seeking to accelerate the deepening of joint defense measures which could lead to more serious discussions on the need for a Nordic-style solution modeled on Article 5 of the North […]
Russian armored vehicles destroyed in the town of Bucha, west of Kiev © AFP / ARIS MESSINIS Kiev (AFP), March 3 – Ukraine accused the Kremlin of ‘nuclear terror’ and the West expressed fury on Friday after Europe’s largest nuclear power plant was attacked and seized by invading Russian forces, who continued to bomb big […]
A historic change is underway in Finland. For the first time, most Finns want to join NATO. On the other side of the Baltic Sea, the Swedes are also becoming more favorable to membership. Triggered by Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, this could lead to a major shift in foreign policy for the militarily non-aligned […]
HELSINKI (AP) — Finland and Sweden have ignored warnings from neighboring Russia that their possible NATO membership would bring “serious military-political consequences” from Moscow for both countries. A Russian Foreign Ministry statement on Friday expressed concern over what it described as efforts by the United States and some of its allies to “drag” Finland and […]
Brussels: NATO is activating its “defense plans” for allied countries as Russia attacks non-NATO Ukraine, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg told a press conference on Thursday. Stoltenberg also confirmed that NATO will hold a video summit on Friday to discuss the Russian invasion of its pro-Western neighbor. And he reiterated that NATO had no “plan” to […]
Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said it was important that the option to apply for NATO membership remained available. Pekka Haavisto, Finnish Foreign Minister, file photo. Image: Anders Wiklund / AFP Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto (Green) confirmed on Thursday that Finland and Sweden are participating in the virtual NATO summit on the situation in Ukraine […]
HELSINKI — As the threat of another Russian invasion of Ukraine grew, the European head of state with the longest and deepest experience of dealing with Vladimir V. Putin answered calls and offered advice to French President Emmanuel Macron and other desperate world leaders. in its difficult neighbor to the east. “’How about this, what […]
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/NYRK62BRJNMV7IW5RFGS5LJZF4.jpg)
An Italian F35 plane is seen on the runway during ‘Blue Flag’, an aerial exercise organized by Israel with the participation of foreign air force crews, at the Ovda military airbase in the south of Israel, November 11, 2019. REUTERS / Amir Cohen Join now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register HELSINKI/WASHINGTON, Feb 11 […]
As the Ukraine crisis simmered, there are few European Union leaders on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s official call list. There was French President Emmanuel Macron last week. Before that, there was German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in December. And then there was Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, who after 10 years in his role has one of […]
In view of the drop in cases, Finland has decided to accelerate the easing of Covid curbs. Meanwhile, Pfizer’s Covid pill has received approval from the European medicines regulator for the treatment of high-risk patients. Finland will start easing Covid-19 restrictions gradually from February 1 instead of mid-February as originally planned as the load on […]
Finland, which is not a NATO member and has a long border and difficult history with Russia, did not provide any details on how its military preparedness has evolved. “The readiness (of the Finnish Defense Forces) has improved due to the fact that the situation in neighboring areas has become more unstable,” said Colonel Petteri […]
President Vladimir Putin insisted during the Ukrainian crisis that NATO stop encroaching on Russian borders. But his request has unintended consequences in the far north of Europe, reigniting talks about Finland and Sweden joining the military alliance. As the world’s attention focuses on Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border, leaders from all political stripes […]
European Affairs Minister Tuppurainen visits Warsaw Government Communications Department 21.1.20222:39 p.m. Press release28/2022 Minister for European Affairs Tytti Tuppurainen and Polish Minister for European Affairs Konrad Szymański European Affairs Minister Tytti Tuppurainen will travel to Warsaw on Monday 24 January. She will meet her Polish counterpart, European Affairs Minister Konrad Szymański, as well as the […]
Antti Kurvinen, Minister of Science and Culture in charge of sports, will leave for the Beijing Olympics at Finnish state level. Photo: Lehtikuva Finland is not joining several other countries, including Denmark, in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics and the country’s sports minister, Antti Kurvinen, will represent Finland in China next month. […]
Finnish voters will vote later this month in the country’s first regional elections that will revolutionize the way the Nordic nation delivers health and social care. Departmental elections will take place on January 23, but advance voting opens on Wednesday. It is the result of the biggest reform of the country’s public health system in […]
Russia’s saber strikes in Ukraine have reignited the debate in Finland over the Nordic country’s membership in NATO, defying demands from Moscow that seek to limit the expansion of the military alliance in Europe. President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin both used their New Year’s speeches to stress that Finland retains the option […]
Finland announced new measures on Tuesday. The government has been slow to announce a large number of complicated Covid measures. Image: Silja Viitala / Yle 22.12. 10:48•Updated on 22.12. 13:57 The daily number of Covid cases in Finland has hovered around the 2,000 mark for about a week now, with the Omicron variant coming to […]
Government approves Finland’s CAP strategic plan – proposal submitted to European Commission 16.12.202114.35| Published in English on 12.17.2021 at 15.48 Press release At its December 16 session, the government approved Finland’s CAP strategic plan proposal, prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The CAP Strategic Plan under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy specifies the […]
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has become the latest global figure to mock Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin. The 36-year-old has been widely convicted of visiting a nightclub after coming into contact with someone positive for COVID-19 over the weekend. Marin has apologized for his judgment but has become a symbol of mockery online, including in […]
The French president has come under criticism after calling for a rethink of EU defense. President Macron said on Thursday that the EU must define a new defense strategy that will strengthen its ability to defend itself, even if NATO’s transatlantic alliance remains useful and effective. Mr Macron said strengthening Europe’s sovereignty – from ensuring […]
HELSINKI (AP) – Finland has agreed to buy 64 Lockheed Martin fighter jets to replace its aging fleet of fighter jets in a € 10 billion ($ 11.3 billion) deal that represents the biggest purchase ever made by the Finnish military, the government said on Friday. The Nordic country chose the American company’s F-35A fighters […]
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin addresses the media during a press conference outside the Finnish Parliament in Helsinki, Finland, December 8, 2021. AFP PHOTO HELSINKI – The Prime Minister of Finland was the subject of sustained criticism on Tuesday after it was revealed that she remained outside dancing until the early hours of the weekend […]
The Prime Minister of Finland was clubbed after 3 a.m. last weekend, according to local reports. Earlier, she was told that a counselor had tested positive for COVID-19 and that she did not need to self-quarantine. But later that night, she missed a text saying she should avoid social interactions. Loading Something is loading. Finnish […]
Equality, a well-funded education system and a strong welfare state are the secret to the success of the happiest nation in the world, according to the Prime Minister of Finland. In a rare interview with foreign media, Sanna Marin – who briefly became the youngest world leader when she became Prime Minister of the Nordic […]