Finland’s Stubb urges EU to consider expansion to 40 members “Need to seriously think about Türkiye”

Finnish President Alexander Stubb has called on European Union countries to consider a significant expansion of the bloc, suggesting it could grow from 27 to as many as 40 members, including both European and non-European states.

Speaking at an energy conference in Finland, Stubb said the EU should adopt a broader strategic vision and develop more flexible forms of membership.

“At the moment, we need to think big and with geography in mind. We need to expand or at least create membership mechanisms that would be flexible enough to cover a total of 40 European states or even non-European ones,” he said, according to CNBC.

Stubb warned that the opportunity for enlargement may be limited, citing geopolitical uncertainty.

“The ‘window of opportunity’ for EU enlargement is quite short,” he said, adding that after the end of the conflict in Ukraine and a potential change in the US administration, “people will take their foot off the gas and start talking about other things.”

He pointed to several potential candidates for closer integration or membership, including the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland and countries in the Western Balkans, which he described as “the hottest spot in Europe.”

Stubb added that after considering the possible accession of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, EU member states “need to seriously think about Türkiye.”

He also floated the idea of including Canada, particularly against the backdrop of proposals in the United States to make Canada the 51st state.

“Wouldn’t it be great if Canada were the 28th member state of the European Union instead of the 51st state of the United States?” he said.

More broadly, Stubb argued that the EU must adopt a more ambitious outlook if it seeks to strengthen its global influence.

“If [they] want to project their power in the world,” EU countries need to “start thinking big,” he said, adding: “But who is going to do it, I don’t know.”

By Tamilla Hasanova