In a firm rejection of proposals to enforce neutrality on Ukraine, Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen stated that this approach would not lead to a sustainable peace with Russia.
Speaking on Monday, Valtonen emphasised that forcing neutrality would not solve the deep-rooted issues fueling the Russia-Ukraine conflict and warned against any solution that overlooks Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Finland’s history with Russia looms large over its stance. Formerly ruled by tsarist Russia for more than a century, Finland declared independence in 1917, only to face a Soviet invasion in 1939.
During World War II, Finland aligned briefly with Nazi Germany to recover lost territory but ultimately maintained a strategic neutrality to preserve its independence—an approach that came to be known as “Finlandization.”
For decades, Finland maintained a careful balance with Moscow, avoiding antagonism while bolstering its own defense to deter future conflict.
This neutrality, however, is not a model Valtonen supports for Ukraine. In an interview with Reuters, she argued that such an arrangement, often proposed as a peace strategy for Ukraine, would likely undermine the country’s long-term security.
“Let’s face it, Ukraine was neutral before they were attacked by Russia,” Valtonen pointed out, underscoring that neutrality had not prevented Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.
With a 1,300-kilometer border shared with Russia, Finland has experienced firsthand the complexities of dealing with its powerful eastern neighbor. Russia has consistently pressed for Ukrainian neutrality as a condition for peace, a demand that would effectively end Ukraine’s aspirations for NATO membership.
According to Valtonen, this demand not only weakens Ukraine’s sovereignty but also sets a dangerous precedent, signaling that “a larger power can not just grab territory, but also essentially weaken the sovereignty of another nation.”
The situation is further complicated by the potential for international leaders, including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, to push for a rapid resolution to the conflict, possibly by imposing terms on Ukraine. Valtonen warned that negotiating “over the heads of Ukraine” would erode trust in the international system and could damage Europe’s security architecture.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Finland and Sweden have both abandoned longstanding policies of military non-alignment and sought membership in NATO, underscoring a shift in regional defense strategy.
“Ukraine is fighting for its independence, and this needs to be their fight, not one that’s dictated by external forces,” Valtonen said, pointing to the dangers of overlooking Ukraine’s agency in pursuit of a rushed peace deal.
As the debate over potential solutions to the Ukraine crisis continues, Finland’s experience and Valtonen’s strong stance highlight the dangers of forcing neutrality as a conflict resolution strategy.
For Valtonen and many other European leaders, the goal remains not just peace, but a peace that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and establishes a secure European order for the future.
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