A ceasefire in Ukraine is unlikely before spring, and Europe must stay committed to Kyiv despite a corruption scandal shaking the Ukrainian government, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said in an interview.
Speaking at a military base near Helsinki, Stubb said Europe will need “sisu” — the Finnish concept of endurance and grit — to face the coming months as Russia escalates hybrid attacks across the continent. Finland, which joined NATO after Russia’s 2022 invasion, shares a long border with Russia and sees itself as a key bridge between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Stubb said he regularly speaks with Trump and uses Finland’s history — including the territory it lost to the Soviet Union in the 1940s — to explain why European security hinges on Ukraine’s survival. He urged Kyiv to quickly address allegations of kickbacks and embezzlement, warning the scandal benefits Moscow.
He said the lack of progress toward a ceasefire reflects unresolved questions over Ukraine’s security guarantees, reconstruction and territorial issues. Progress by March would be ideal, he said, though he remains cautious.
Stubb praised Trump’s recent sanctions on Russian energy firms but said Europe and the U.S. must do more, including leveraging frozen Russian assets and strengthening Ukraine’s military capacity. Ukraine continues negotiating for additional weapons after the U.S. declined to supply long-range Tomahawk missiles.
Stubb described Russia’s incursions, drone activity and sabotage across Europe as part of a broader hybrid warfare campaign aimed at spreading fear and instability. Europe must respond calmly and firmly, he said.
Facing shifting U.S. positions on Ukraine, Stubb said patience and realism are essential. “You can’t have illusions,” he said. “You need a bit of ‘sisu’ in these negotiations as well.”
