Finland’s membership does not pose a threat to other countries. Helsinki through an alliance only strengthens its own security. This was stated by the President of the Scandinavian country Sauli Ninisto, speaking at the South African Institute of International Relations in Johannesburg.
“On the NATO line, we increase our own security, raising it to a new level. We will defend our values. Finland will remain a stable and predictable Scandinavian country aimed at a peaceful resolution of disagreement,” he assured.
In his speech, Ninistu also pointed out the growing role of Africa in the world and touched the conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
The President noted the negative consequences of the conflict for the whole world, and called the actions of Moscow aggressive.
South Africa is far from Ukraine, but the combat zone is close to Finland, the head of state emphasized. “Perhaps we are looking at the war in Ukraine after a slightly different prism. Russia and many African countries maintained close ties in the Soviet period. Finland had a different experience. We lived under the control of the Russian Empire for a hundred years. When the empire collapsed, we announced our independence and began to build a democratic prosperous state, ”he recalled.
According to the president, during the Second World War, the Finns defended themselves from the Soviet occupation as an independent young nation, fought a lot and gained independence. “But we paid a high price, many lives were destroyed, and the lands were lost. Decades after the war we managed to agree with Russia. But when it attacked Ukraine, our historical memories came to life. The war leaves deep scars,” he added.