Imposing neutrality on Ukraine will not lead to a peaceful solution to the crisis with Russia, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said today in Reuters interview. She emphasized that Moscow cannot be trusted to honor any agreement it has signed.
Roverned by the Russian Empire for over a century, Finland gained independence in 1917. It then desperately repelled a Soviet invasion in 1939 and briefly sided with Nazi Germany in an attempt to regain lost territories.
After the war ended in Allied victory, Finland found itself forced for decades to maintain friendly and conciliatory relations with its eastern neighbor and walk the sometimes precarious path of neutrality in order to preserve its independence, a tactic known as " Finlandization", notes Reuters.
Given the prospect of US President-elect Donald Trump seeking to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine as quickly as possible, and fears from some allies that terms may be imposed in Kiev, one scenario could be the imposition of neutral status of Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine remain neutral in order to have peace, which would de facto destroy its bid for NATO membership, Reuters notes.
In his interview with Reuters, Valtonen criticized the use of the "Finlandization" model, pointing out that Helsinki first repelled Russia in World War II and, despite the subsequent peace, always continued to arm itself, fearing being drawn into a new one. conflict.
"Yes, I am against it (Finlandization). Let's admit that Ukraine was neutral before it was attacked by Russia," Valtonen said on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum.
The incursion of Russian forces into Ukraine prompted Finland and Sweden to abandon decades of military non-alignment and seek security in the NATO camp, Reuters notes.
Valtonen expressed doubt that Russia could be trusted even if it agreed to a deal, and said forcing Ukraine to accept terms against its will would be detrimental to the international system.