Finland urges EU invest more in defense to deter Russia

The Finnish Foreign Minister, Elina Valtonen, has called on European countries to invest more in defense to counter the threat posed by Russia.

This was reported by DW and conveyed by Ukrinform.

"I am prepared to expect anything from Putin. It is time for us to grow up. Putin is a dictator who understands only strength," Valtonen stated.

In her view, Germany and France are currently the main targets for Russia in the hybrid war against the West. Valtonen noted that the Kremlin is focusing on spreading disinformation in those countries to reduce support for Ukraine among the local population.

Valtonen also believes that in the future, EU countries will need to spend more on defense than the NATO target of 2% of GDP.

"No one wants peace more than Ukraine. But if someone thinks that the war can be stopped by halting arms supplies, I can say only one thing: this will not lead to the end of the war; it will lead to the end of Ukraine," emphasized the Finnish Foreign Minister, highlighting the importance of supporting Kyiv.

She refrained from commenting on Germany's decision not to supply Ukraine with long-range weapons for strikes deep into Russian territory; however, she reminded that international law regarding self-defense does not prohibit striking military targets beyond one’s own borders.

Finland allowed the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use the weapons received from Helsinki against targets on Russian territory back in May 2024.

As reported by Ukrinform, the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, Jussi Halla-aho, stated that partner countries must significantly increase aid to Ukraine in the long term to send a clear message to Putin that his calculations for a war of attrition will not work.