US unilateralism sends ´chilling message´ to allies: Finnish expert

Washington's increasingly unilateral and assertive approach is sending "a chilling message" to its allies, reported a leading Finnish language national daily Helsingin Sanomat, quoting a Finnish foreign policy researcher, said Xinhua.

Iro Särkkä, a senior research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, cited the U.S. attack on Venezuela and U.S. President Donald Trump's renewed threats regarding Greenland as signs that the United States is acting more aggressively abroad without seeking others' consent and with diminishing regard for international law and other countries' sovereignty, according to the report published on Monday.

The newspaper wrote that the United States is pursuing what it sees as "vested interests" and, through its actions, is pushing that idea further than before in international politics.

Särkkä described the U.S. attack on Venezuela as illegal under international law, though not surprising, saying it is consistent with a U.S. security strategy that professes respect for sovereignty while treating the United States as an exception because of its global interests.

"This is a chilling message for Finland and all of the United States' key allies," the researcher was quoted as saying.

According to Särkkä, if Washington were to begin pressuring Denmark with the use of force over Greenland, it could deal serious damage to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and strain U.S. bilateral relations with other countries, including Finland.

Särkkä argued that the underlying driver of intimidation is the United States' desire to secure Greenland's natural resources, the report said, adding that other countries may no longer assume Washington will fully respect their sovereignty amid its more unilateral posture.