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"We are afraid, but ready for the worst": Finnish Prime Minister assesses the possibility of war with Russia
Petteri Orpo said whether Finland could enter a war with Russia. Source: Petteri Orpo / Facebook
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has admitted that he fears the country could be drawn into a war with Russia. According to him, Helsinki is ready for any development, but he urged Finnish citizens to be concerned, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been going on for almost three years.
In an interview with Yle on Friday, December 13, answering the question of whether he was afraid of Finland's entry into the war, the Prime Minister said: "Yes, I am afraid." Orpo reminded that the Kremlin has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine for three years now, so the people of Finland, which shares a border with Russia, should be concerned.
"Yes, I am afraid. I mean, let's leave out the word "fear," but many times my colleagues have asked me about this abroad, and I say that we are not afraid, but we are ready for the worst," the prime minister said.
He noted that he is most concerned about active conflicts in the world, such as the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, as well as various influence operations observed in the Baltic Sea.
"So we have to be concerned. We are being intimidated, but we are not afraid, and the wise are prepared. This is a lesson that Finland has learned from our history," Orpo added.
According to Orpo, the European Union has failed to act decisively enough as a united front to put an end to the war in Ukraine and the Middle East.
"Europe is a great power in the world if we can speak with one voice. We must use this voice to bring peace to Ukraine and Palestine. If there is one positive thing, it is that Donald Trump has set a goal to end both conflicts. This means peace. The risks lie in the conditions under which this happens," the head of the Finnish government said.
As reported by OBOZ.UA, Finland has approved a new military aid package for Ukraine and has begun to formulate the next one. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed strengthening Ukraine's air defense with Finnish leader Alexander Stubb.
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