Prime Minister Alexander Stubb’s speech at the seminar “European Security and Conflict in Ukraine” 30 March 2015
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Madam Chancellor, Chancellor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Finland has been a Member State of the European Union for 20 years now. This is an important milestone in the history of Finland.
I am very glad about the timing of the German Chancellor’s visit to Finland in this anniversary year. Germany has played a key role not only in European integration as whole, but also in Finland’s integration path.
25 years ago, in 1990, the leaders of the European Democratic Union (EDU) met in Helsinki. The meeting was hosted by the Chairman of National Coalition Party of Finland, Ilkka Suominen. Among the participants was Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Suominen’s colleague and friend. In his speech at that meeting, Suominen opened the road to Finland’s membership of the European Union, the first significant Finnish politician to do so.
The road to membership was not easy, however, and we still value the support we received from Germany in our negotiations. It facilitated Finland’s accession to the Union on 1 January 1995.
Since then, as members of the EU, we have noted that the positions of Finland and Germany often converge. This has particularly been the case in issues relating to the Common Foreign and Security Policy and Economic and Monetary Union. It is a question not only of convergent interests, but also of similar values.
Madam Chancellor, Chancellor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Finland joined the European Union a few years after Europe had experienced a major upheaval; when the post-Second World War order collapsed, one European era ended and another began. At the same time, Finland anchored itself through its EU membership more clearly than before in the West.
The conflict in Ukraine and the change in Russia’s foreign and security policy indicate that the pendulum of history is once again swinging in Europe. Instead of security based on cooperation and openness, Russia is returning to the path of power politics.
Russia now defines its security in a way that makes many of its neighbours feel insecure. Russia today wants to be more a maker of its own rules than a follower of jointly prepared rules.
For Finland, this change means that our security environment has more risk factors of various kinds. Recognising this fact leads us to this conclusion: we must take care to ensure that our place in the new security environment is completely clear. We must also do more to tighten international cooperation with our partners.
It seems, unfortunately, that stabilising the situation in Ukraine is currently not in Russia’s interests. On the contrary - Russia aims to maintain its influence in Ukraine by undermining the country’s stability.
For us in the EU, it has always been clear that Ukraine will choose its own path. No-one else can make that decision on Ukraine’s behalf. Ukrainians have chosen in free elections a pro-European parliament, government and president to lead their country. The Ukrainians have shown that they want to be part of a democratic and stable Europe.
It is clear that the European Union supports Ukraine’s European aspirations. We do so openly, through cooperation based on dialogue. Finland has supported Ukraine during the crisis also on a bilateral basis, above all with humanitarian assistance and by giving strong support to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission.
It is important to underline that supporting Ukraine does not mean opposing or isolating Russia. On the contrary. We are not playing a zero-sum game in which, for example, liberalising trade with someone would exclude someone else.
In efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, the role of Germany – and of Madam Chancellor in particular – has been highly significant. We greatly appreciate this work on behalf of peace in Europe. I would like to thank you for the commitment and perseverance you have shown in difficult situations.
It is particularly valuable that the German and French leaders have worked in this matter in close cooperation not only with each other, but also with EU institutions and other EU Member States. Only united is the EU strong.
Madam Chancellor, Chancellor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Around two weeks ago, a lively discussion on EU affairs took place between Finnish party leaders in this very room. I drew three conclusions from the event:
Firstly, the discussion reminded me of the central position that EU affairs and foreign and security policy occupy, particularly in a Prime Minister’s work.
Secondly, it became clear that Finland’s political parties have quite different emphases in terms of the content of EU policy. This, in my view, is a natural part of the discussion that takes place within an active member state.
Thirdly, I noticed that a broader consensus now prevails on the basic issues of Finland’s EU relationship. As a nation, we are committed to membership of the Union, to Economic and Monetary Union and the Common Foreign and Security Policy.
I am sure that whatever kind of Government is formed in Finland after the parliamentary elections on 19 April, our country’s EU policy, built over the last 20 years, will remain strong. Similarly, I am convinced that in the future Finland’s and Germany’s views will often converge in EU matters and that our partnership will remain a close one.
In this spirit of partnership, we have today the opportunity to exchange thoughts, particularly on European security. I would like, already at this point, to express my thanks to the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Institute of International Affairs for organising this event. I encourage all of the participants to engage in fruitful discussions.