Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine must be brought to an end. Everyone is suffering from its consequences, and no military solution is in sight. The outcome of the war will have a direct impact on the security of Finland and Norway and, more broadly, on the security of Europe as a whole. At this stage, peace will not be achieved by avoiding dialogue; ending the war requires direct discussions. This is in Finland’s interest. Today, together with Prime Minister of NorwayJonas Gahr Støre, we held a telephone conversation with President of Russia Vladimir Putin. The call was a follow-up to the meeting in Oslo on 20 October. It was prepared in consultation with Ukraine and the United States. We held the conversation in our capacity as leaders of our respective countries, not as representatives of Europe. It is important for Finland and Norway, as neighbouring countries of Russia, to engage in discussions with Russia based on our own perspectives and principles. We emphasized that our support for Ukraine remains unwavering. Our objective is to promote a just and lasting peace.

Oli ilo toivottaa Mongolian presidentti Ukhnaa Khurelsukh tervetulleeksi työvierailulle Suomeen. Tapasimme presidentti Khurelsukhin kanssa viimeksi YK-viikolla New Yorkissa.

Finland has strong defence capabilities and strong partners and allies. Finland is part of a broader community.   We never want to find ourselves in an armed conflict with Russia or any other country, but we must be prepared for a range of threats. Deterrence is built to ensure that those threats never materialise.   Living with uncertainty is difficult, but necessary. There are more shades of grey in the world today.   Today I addressed the Atlantic Council of Finland in Helsinki. Jaakko Iloniemi, Honorary Chair of the Council, is one of Finland’s most influential foreign policy thinkers. Two things stand out in his approach: a realistic assessment of the situation and active engagement. This is a sound guiding principle for Finland as well.

Finland always stands on the side of peace, and we are working together to achieve it. Today in Oslo, we met with Norwegian Prime Minister @jonasgahrstore, Ukrainian President @ZelenskyyUa, and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Peace requires patience, but war doesn’t wait. It is our duty to do what we can to bring Russia's war of aggression to an end. We stand with Ukraine. Today was a step towards a just and lasting peace. Photo: Pavlo Yurkin

Finland is seeking a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2029–2030 term. We hosted a discussion on the UN’s role in maintaining international peace and security. We want to shoulder our responsibility for the UN’s core task: maintaining international peace and security. Respect for international law, human rights and the UN Charter is the foundation of sustainable peace.

The world has changed, so should the UN. The text of my speech at the UN General Assembly is available at: presidentti.fi/en/statement-…