Donald Trump represents the "only figure who can force" Russian president Vladimir Putin to engage in peace talks regarding the war in Ukraine, the Finnish president has asserted.
Alexander Stubb further commented that Finland would never accept occupied Crimea as within Russia, and that he aimed to ensure Ukraine became an EU and ideally NATO member when the conflict concluded.
Prior to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with Trump at the White House on Friday, during which he informed the US president: "I believe we can end this military engagement with your help."
At the same time, Trump disclosed that Putin has accepted to meet face-to-face with him in Hungary.
Ceasefire Attempts and Economic Pressure
The US leader remarked on Friday that Putin "wants to get it concluded. I believe that President Zelensky seeks to get it resolved. Now we have to get it accomplished".
Zelensky stated at the White House that Ukraine was prepared to negotiate in whatever format and desired peace, but maintained that Putin needed to be "compelled" into terminating the war.
Stubb revealed that Trump had once asked him - while playing a game of golf - whether he could trust Putin; and Stubb's reply was no.
"The necessity is not mainly the influence of the carrot to influence Russia to the discussions, it's rather the pressure that will bring them.
"So you have to compel Russia to arrive to the peace talks for peace and that's the arrangement President Trump is seeking to make."
Economic Sanctions and Tactical Factors
Stubb was optimistic about Trump's ability, saying he thought peace discussions had presumably developed more in the past eight months during Trump's second term than in the prior three years.
Russia annexed the Crimean territory in 2014 and initiated a comprehensive attack of Ukraine in 2022.
Stubb asserted that Finland would under no circumstances accept Crimea, or the regions of Donetsk or Luhansk, as belonging to Russia. Russia holds 70% of Donetsk and nearly all of adjacent Luhansk.
He stated "the sole parties who can resolve on the land question are the Ukrainians directly".
"I want to ensure that Ukraine, when this war is concluded, preserves its autonomy, preserves its autonomy - in other words evolves into an EU member country and preferably a NATO member - and further upholds its national boundaries. That is what we are all striving for currently," Stubb commented.
Economic Difficulties and Prospective Prospects
Stubb observed that Russia's economy - less significant than Italy's - was facing challenges, with the country's resources reduced, growth "almost around zero", and inflation elevated to between 10% and 20%.
Stubb recommended economic threats should be employed to bring Russia to the negotiations, primarily giving €200bn worth of frozen Russian holdings to Ukraine as a advance that would remain there if Russia did not pay damages after peace negotiations.
He also wanted to see exports of Russian oil and gas to Europe - which have declined by 80% - cut off. Measures could be placed on countries that buy Russian oil and gas, he commented, in along with the current European restrictions targeting Russia.
Strategic Evaluation and Peace Process
Stubb asserted "every one of the strategic maneuvers of Putin have been an complete failure". Russia had been unsuccessful in attempting to occupy Ukraine, to split Europe and to divide NATO, with two new members - Finland and Sweden - joined instead.
He commented Europe's "partnership of the eager" was prepared to offer protection guarantees to Ukraine, with the essential help in the aerial domain, on the seas and with reconnaissance.
But they required a support from the US, especially in air defenses, reconnaissance and tactical maneuvers, he commented.
Stubb expressed he anticipated to see some developments from a two-part peace initiative - the first a ceasefire to stop the loss of life and the subsequent an extended peace process - "in the near future".
"We will continue pursuing it. The essential is to engage and try to discover resolutions and be pragmatic. In international relations you always have to handle the world as it stands, not what you would hope it to be, but let's do peace."