Ukraine should follow the path of Finland to join NATO, - Director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs

The security of Finland and the whole of Europe is liaised with the security of Ukraine therefore it is necessary to rebuild the region and strengthen its stability through political, economic and military infrastructure.

This was emphasized by Mika Aaltola, Director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, in his speech at the 15^th annual Kyiv Security Forum, founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s “Open Ukraine” Foundation.

“Finland supports Ukraine and Europe. More than 90% of our population fully support Ukraine. And now Russia encounters and has already encountered, counteraction and resistance from a force that will stop it,’ he noted.

According to him, events in Ukraine triggered a seismic shift in the Finnish society, and the decision on the need to join NATO was taken to protect our own borders.

“Finland must move forward. Same is true for our colleagues, such as Sweden, they should be with us in NATO,’ the expert added.

Mika Aaltola also emphasized that Finland, like Ukraine, has more than 1,000 km of common border with Russia.

"Perhaps, the path to NATO, which we tread now, becomes a model for Ukraine to use and attain its aspirations. This may take more time,” he said.

At the same time, Mika Aaltola emphasized that in order to achieve victory, it is important to define it without any alternatives, “so that there are no strategic manipulations.”

“We do not live in a vacuum. We are all interconnected – from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea, and from there to the Arctic. That is why Russia has said that it does not recognize these geopolitical borders. That is why our security is firmly linked with Ukrainian security, and we need to think about the reconstruction of this region, strengthening its stability, and we need to start right now,” he said.

Noteworthy, the 15^th annual Kyiv security forum “For Our and Your Freedom/ Fighting for NATO” will be held on May 25-26, 2023, with the participation of well-known international figures. In particular, at the Forum, the KSF Security Council will be established and a policy document will be adopted with recommendations for the NATO summit in Vilnius to be held this July.