Russia’s actions crack Europe’s security system: FM

Foreign minister Pekka Haavisto on Monday said that Russia’s actions have cracked Europe’s security system and the application for NATO membership was a reaction to a change in the security environment in Europe.

“Russia’s actions have cracked Europe’s security system. Due to the war, our OSCE observers also had to withdraw. Russia’s aim has been to subordinate Ukraine to its own sphere of interest,” said Haavisto while speaking at Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission in Helsinki.

He said that the application for NATO membership was a reaction to a change in the security environment in Europe.

“At the same time, it was a response to Russia’s efforts to dismantle the European security system and to create a new sphere of interest at its borders,” said the Foreign Minister.

He said that in the course of spring 2022, Finland showed that, in a difficult situation, it is able to act quickly and coherently.

“Due to our history, we are a security-oriented people and, when the European security order broke, we made a united and determined decision to apply for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” he added.

He said that NATO membership will not only enhance our security, but also create new opportunities to influence what Europe looks like at the end of the war.

“Due to the war, our OSCE observers also had to withdraw. Russia’s aim has been to subordinate Ukraine to its own sphere of interest. In the first days of the war, we did not know whether it would be successful. Now we know that Ukraine’s own will to defend itself and international support have prevented the aggressor’s plans from coming to fruition,” he added.

Haavisto said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine once again raises the question of the implementation of the UN Charter and international law, especially when the aggressor is a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

“Russia has defended its illegal offensive war by accusing the US and NATO of provocation and asserting their responsibility for the outbreak of war. In President Putin’s thinking, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union made too far-reaching concessions towards Ukraine. Justifying current conflicts on the basis of alleged injustices in history is always a dangerous path,” he said.

He said that the fog of war makes predicting nearly impossible. However, it appears that neither Russia nor Ukraine currently has the capacity to resolve the war quickly.

“We need to be prepared also for a long and consuming war, which could last for years in the worst scenario. At the same time, we must continue to support Ukraine,” said Haavisto.

From the point of view of the government, the main issue this fall is the completion of our NATO accession process.

Since the Madrid Summit, the pace of ratifications has been very rapid. Twenty-three countries have made their decisions and we monitor closely the processes in the remaining member states, said the Foreign Minister.

He also said that in August, civil servants from Sweden, Finland and Turkey will meet to review progress in our cooperation with Turkey in line with the Trilateral Memorandum. The first official meeting will take place in Finland.

Haavisto demanded that Russia should immediately withdraw its troops and other military material from the site and allow safe access for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors. The parties should agree on a demilitarized zone in the vicinity of the power plant in order to ensure nuclear safety.