Alexander Stubb is convinced that Russia has neither the interest nor the capability to escalate the conflict with NATO to a full-scale level
Alexander Stubb (Photo: Osmancan Gurdogan/EPA)
President of Finland Alexander Stubb called on European partners to remain calm amid increasingly vocal warnings of a possible further escalation by Russia. He made this statement in an interview with the newspaper Politico on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
In recent days, high-ranking officials from European countries have been increasingly warning of an intensification of Russia’s hybrid war. According to Stubb, Europe needs to prepare for “continued hybrid attacks and sabotage” by Russia, but at the same time, it should not “overreact,” as Moscow seeks to intimidate allies and force them to reduce their support for Ukraine.
“We must be very cautious and understand that Russia is trying to destabilize and intimidate Europe. And every time we overreact to a hybrid attack, they are effectively winning the battle in this very regard,” said the President of Finland.
Russian acts of sabotage and provocation in Europe may undermine the security and political unity of European countries by diverting resources and attention away from support for Ukraine. They also pose a risk of escalation, the spread of disinformation, and attempts to sow mistrust between Ukraine and its partners.
In his view, Russia has neither the interest nor the capacity to escalate tensions with Europe on a full scale. According to him, Moscow will continue to intimidate Europe, and countries must remain “cool-headed, calm, and composed.”
Stubb spoke positively about the recent Germany’s decision to place Russia is responsible for the attempted drone attack in Leipzig.
“That’s exactly how we need to act. We need to point the finger and say: ‘We know what you’re doing, and these are the consequences,'” he said.
At the same time, the Finnish president criticized what he called an “overreaction” on the part of some intelligence agencies, which are essentially saying, “You’re next,” in the event of a Russian invasion.
“We see no evidence of this. We must remain vigilant and alert. But, you know, we have the longest border with Russia among NATO members—half of the total border. Our intelligence indicates some activity, but there is no immediate military threat at this time,” he concluded.
This is a machine translation of the original article in Ukrainian. It may contain errors.