In his first address to foreign envoys in his present capacity as foreign minister, Timo Soini, who is the cofounder and leader of the Eurosceptic Finns Party, said that the Ukrainian conflict had laid bare the longtime tensions between Russia and the West.
Describing as “alarming and unfortunate” the human rights situation in Russia and Moscow’s alleged militarization, the minister underscored the need to strengthen Finland’s defense potential.
“This should not be construed as militarization aimed against Russia, but a necessary improvement of our country’s defense capability,” Soini emphasized.
He also said that, despite the need to trim its budget, Finland would maintain its role in international crisis management, and described closer cooperation with NATO as beneficial to the country’s defense.
“Our cooperation with NATO shows that Finland is more than just a passive consumer of security, it also generates security,” Soini said, adding that the country planned to boost defense cooperation also with Sweden.
