Finnish leader rates chance of achieving “just peace’” in Ukraine as low

Finnish President Alexander Stubb predicts the prospects for achieving a just peace in Ukraine as slim.

He shared his assessment following talks in Moscow between US representatives and the Russian president, Caliber.Az reports citing Politico.

“The reality is that peace can be good, bad, or some form of compromise. And we Finns must be ready for the moment when peace does come — even though it’s unlikely that all the conditions for a just peace, which we’ve discussed for the past four years, will be met,” Stubb told Finnish publication MTV Uutiset in an interview on December 3.

He added that “we are closer to peace today than yesterday,” noting that the coming days and weeks will show whether the negotiations produce any results.

Stubb’s remarks follow meetings in Moscow between US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which brought no breakthrough in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Instead, Putin accused Europe of obstructing the peace process.

“We’re not planning to wage war with Europe, but if Europe decides to start one, we’re ready right now,” Putin said at a press conference after the talks on December 2.

A 28-point peace plan drafted last month by Witkoff and Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriyev drew criticism from European and Ukrainian officials for heavily favouring Moscow. A revised version reportedly softens some of the proposal’s most pro-Russian elements.

Speaking at a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels on December 3, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said Europe would soon be briefed on the latest round of talks, but noted that “apparently they were not able to reach a broad consensus last night in Moscow.”

By Nazrin Sadigova