Finnish FM Outlines Three-Pillar Strategy to Pressure Putin into Ceasefire
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen has called on NATO allies to adopt a united and strategic approach to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt his war against Ukraine.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Ukrinform.
“Only Putin refuses to lay down arms. Now is the moment to compel him,” Valtonen said. “Our strategy must rest on three pillars. First of all, we must invest in our own defense and deterrence, not just for our nations, but for the safety of the free world.
Secondly, we need to intensify pressure on Russia, both collectively within the EU and independently, particularly by the United States.”
She also expressed hope that the U.S. Senate would soon advance a new sanctions package targeting the Kremlin, underscoring that transatlantic resolve remains critical.
“And thirdly, of course, we must continue to support Ukraine, which is defending the freedom of all of us,” she emphasized.
Addressing concerns that the war in Ukraine could be slipping from the global agenda, Valtonen was unequivocal: “No one is forgetting Ukraine.”
She underscored that she had a productive meeting the day before with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, and that another gathering involving the Nordic foreign ministers and Ukrainian representatives was taking place on the sidelines of the summit.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte earlier stated that leaders gathered in The Hague would focus on increasing defense spending and boosting industrial capacity across the Alliance. Nevertheless, support for Ukraine remains a key topic amid ongoing Russian aggression and calls for a firmer Western stance.
Read more on The Gaze: NATO Summit 2025: Will the Alliance Stand with Ukraine?