Main image: Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Photo by Siim Lõvi / ERR
According to Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of ending the war in Ukraine, and efforts are needed to undermine Russia’s military apparatus. He made these remarks during a speech to ambassadors, reports ERR.
Stubb noted that Putin does not plan to stop the war at least until the end of this year, and Russia will attempt to advance as far as possible before winter. However, he said that the war’s end will be driven by the worsening economic situation in Russia, which will make it impossible to sustain the conflict indefinitely.
“Russia will no longer be able to keep its military machine operational for very long. Unfortunately, we cannot determine exactly how long, which means this military machine needs to be attacked. I will say frankly that the only people who can influence President Putin to make peace are more likely in the east and south than in the west, particularly China’s Xi Jinping and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Stubb said.
He recalled that U.S. President Donald Trump’s patience with Russia had already run out several times, and on those occasions, he always acted in ways beneficial to Ukraine. Stubb cited the latest example as the U.S. imposing tariffs on India for purchasing Russian oil, gas, and weapons.
The Finnish leader emphasized that he tries to explain to Trump that bringing Putin to the negotiating table is a hopeless effort, as Russia uses such promises only to buy time.
“I constantly try to convey to Trump that this is a typical Russian delaying tactic, which they use very skillfully. Now it’s only a matter of time how President Trump will respond and in what way,” Stubb added.
He also stated that, besides the U.S. president, he maintains regular contact with about sixty American senators and believes that his efforts will eventually bear fruit, according to ERR.
