The president of Finland is urging President Trump to impose a deadline on Vladimir Putin of April 20 to agree a ceasefire in Ukraine.
During an interview with Fox News in London, Alexander Stubb commended President Trump’s skills in negotiation after spending the weekend with him in Florida. Stubb expressed his belief that Trump is uniquely qualified to serve as a mediator for peace, referring to him as “probably the only person in the world who can mediate the peace.”
Stubb said Putin “respects, and in many ways fears, Donald Trump.”
Finland, a country neighboring Russia with a shared border spanning over 800 miles, broke with decades of neutrality by joining NATO two years ago due to concerns raised by the conflict in Ukraine.
Stubb also expressed his opinion that Ukraine should eventually have the opportunity to join NATO, a stance that contrasts with the current position of the Trump administration.
Stubb sat down for an interview with Fox News after meeting President Trump at Mar-a-Lago. (Alex Hogan/Fox News)
Following talks and a round of golf with Trump in Florida, the Finnish leader said European leaders are heeding American complaints that Europe does not spend enough money on defense, relying instead on the United States.
“Europe needs to take more responsibility for its own security, more responsibility for its own defense,” Stubb said. “I think we’re doing exactly that.”
He described the U.S.-European relationship as “in a transition,” but insisted: “We’re allies.
“Just because ideologically there are differences at times between Europeans and Americans doesn’t mean that we’re going to sever or divorce.”
