Speeches

Today, we are truly very happy to see the President of the European Parliament visiting Ukraine – and this is already the fourth visit by Roberta Metsola to Ukraine during the war.

It is Putin alone who is interested in these killings. Every day, this war remains solely his war – the war of Russia alone. And we expect the world to draw conclusions from this.

We are planning our foreign policy activity for the second half of September and October. The priorities are clear: air defense and the full implementation of the decisions of the recent Ramstein meeting, as well as our agreements reached with partners in Washington and Paris.

Russia could have ended this war long ago – and we have proposed this. Partners have proposed this. Many times. Russia has rejected everything related to peace. Accordingly, we are defending ourselves.

It is crucial that pressure on Russia continues and intensifies across all jurisdictions. And one of the key targets for our actions is Russian trade in oil and other energy resources.

Only together can we achieve peace. And only if we respond strongly to every question this war poses.

Above all, thank you for being with Ukraine and in Ukraine, and for the fact that all of this – our Fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen – is taking place, and it is important that it is taking place, despite everything, despite the air raid alerts and threats.

Finland provides Ukraine with tangible defense, humanitarian, and political support. Together with other European countries, Finland is also an active participant in the Coalition of the Willing and will be one of the guarantors of security for Ukraine, for the eastern flank, and for all of Europe once this war ends.

Since 1 a.m., our military tracked the movement of Russian drones toward the Polish border. And this movement was not an accident or a mistake – it was deliberate.

Ever since this February, the Russians have been rejecting all ceasefire proposals. For weeks, Russia has been unable – and unwilling – to give any concrete response to the United States on a leaders’ meeting format. Russia invests in war, and solely in war. The response must be strength.