Finland to China: Joined NATO Because of Russia

Alexander Stubb, the newly elected president of Finland, is visiting China next week. His first message is: Russia caused the expansion of NATO and China must stop supporting Russia against Ukraine

Alexander Stubb is the most scholarly head of state in the Nordic countries, possibly including the Baltic states, as well. He took over from Sauli Niinistö as president of Finland earlier this year. Stubb is less soft-spoken than Finns are most, and he has been busy giving interviews the last couple of weeks, in preparation for his upcoming trip to China next week. On Monday 28 October, he is going to meet China’s president Xi Jinping.

On 16 October 2024, President Stubb gave a lecture on the new world (dis)order at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo. Photo: Matti Porre/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

President Alexander Stubb (left) was the first leader to visit NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte after he took office earlier this year. Photo: Matti Porre/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

Interview at the Helsinki book fair

Alexander Stubb visited the book fair in Helsinki, Finland, on Thursday 24 October and was interviewed on stage by the Editor of the Swedish-language Finnish newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet (HBL) and the editor of the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter. And yes, Stubb is a writer, listing 22 titles under his CV on the presidential website, among which “The naked truth and other stories about Finns and Europeans”.

By way of introduction, the Finnish editor asks the two others, what is their first childhood memory of Sweden and Finland, respectively. Peter Wolodarski of Dagens Nyheter says it was definitely the Moomin books by Tove Jansson that first made him aware of Finland. Stubb mentions his first solo trip to his aunt in Skåne, in the south of Sweden, where he was allowed to drive a garden tractor. At this point, he had been triggered to add an anecdote from his recent official visit to Norway. He visited a pre-school and talked to the children. Afterwards, one of the children was interviewed and asked, who is that man you talked to just now? ‘He is the Moomin boss’, answered the child, much to the amusement of everybody, including the president.

At the book fair, president Stubb then talked about security policy, the election in the United States and China's actions with Russia, among other things.

Our first message is clear: NATO was expanded because of Russia's attack on Ukraine, not the other way around, says Stubb.

The second is that when we start the peace negotiations, it must take place with Ukraine, not without Ukraine. And then I will also explain that if China supports Russia financially with materials that can be used in war, it has a direct impact on Finland's security.

Xi Jinping is just back from visiting Russia, where President Vladimir Putin hosted the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). After that meeting, informal reports have said that Xi was furious with Putin about the plans to include North Korean soldiers on the ground against Ukraine, including within the currently occupied parts of Ukraine. These days, when many states define ‘red lines’ that are supposed not to be crossed by adversaries (and then actually crossed by them, more often than not, without consequences), it appears that China has drawn the line with Russia inserting North Korean soldiers on the battlefield.

Further from the book fair interview:

Stubb points out that China knows that it needs to walk a fine line when it comes to the war in Ukraine, because the country needs benevolent countries in Europe.

China's relationship with Russia affects China's relationship with Europe. It is incredibly important for Xi Jinping, because he understands that he must have some friends in Europe in order to work against the United States.

What I'm trying to tell my American friends is that if you put tariffs on our trade and you don't want a free trade agreement with Europe. So where do you think we are looking? China.

Furthermore, he notes that the US wants to be a great power, and the biggest enemy is China.

In order for the US to be able to stand up to China and hold on to its superpower status, the country needs allies.

Many of them are in Europe, he underlines.

Regardless of whether (Donald) Trump or Kamala Harris is elected, it will require a close relationship with European countries and NATO.

A current question is what transactional requirements the new president will bring.

Kamala Harris is instinctively more tied to international cooperation and institutional institutions when Donald Trump is more of a transactionalist.

The conversation at the book fair was led by HBL's editor-in-chief Kalle Silfverberg under the heading: Where are Sweden and Finland headed?

In another interview the other day, Alexander Stubb was asked about NATO and Finland’s role. He explained why joining NATO was a necessary step and why Finland was first, before Sweden. Finland has one of the strongest armies in Europe, which is the reason why it had to go fast. “Finland is not a burden for NATO, it is a strengthening.” Interview with the German English language channel Deutsche Welle, DW:

“Since the 1300s we have had about 13 wars or skirmishes with Russia.”

“We do have one of the largest militaries in Europe.”

“In NATO, we are security providers, rather than security consumers. And that was the reason why we were able to join NATO so quickly. We have doubled NATO’s border with Russia, 1,340 kilometers of it.”

With Alexander Stubb, we can be sure that Finland will have a voice in NATO. Finland has a collective historical memory from centuries of dealing with Russia.