Stubb’s Munich appearance blends light humour with strategic messaging

Finnish President Alexander Stubb added a light-hearted moment to discussions at the Munich Security Conference, combining humour with a broader message about global cooperation and trade policy.

According to reporting by Ilta-Sanomat, Stubb playfully responded during a panel discussion after Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, described Finland as a “middle power.” Smiling, the Finnish leader replied with a cheerful “thank you very much,” turning the remark into a moment of levity.

The exchange continued when someone from the audience called out that the president could be clearly seen and heard even from the back rows. Stubb laughed and responded: “Yes, that’s just me — all 190 centimetres.”

Beyond the humour, Stubb emphasised a substantive point, arguing that small and medium-sized nations should actively support multilateral trade institutions such as the World Trade Organisation, which he described as essential to maintaining a stable international economic system.

The publication noted that Okonjo-Iweala used the term “middle power” to refer to countries that are not global superpowers but nonetheless exercise meaningful influence and play a visible role in international affairs.

During the opening day of the conference, European leaders broadly called for a stronger and more self-reliant Europe, while some speakers also signalled distance from certain policies pursued by US President Donald Trump.

By Tamilla Hasanova