Finland's President Sauli Niinistö says Finland needs to ensure its response to security threats is consistent with the other Nordic countries and should avoid a 'softer' line than others.
Speaking at a seminar to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Finnish Institute for International Affairs (FIIA), Niinistö said that states have pursued their own interests in response to the Covid pandemic and the refugee crises.
"If others around us operate on the basis of their national interests, pure altruism from our side makes us more vulnerable," Niinistö said.
"Finland must not end up in a situation where, simultaneously, our assessment of internal and external security risks is less vigorous and our legislation less rigid than those of our peers," continued Finland's twelfth president. "For good reason, we consider it self-evident that our Nordic friends are liberal democracies. We should also pay close attention to how seriously, and by what means, they address their security these days. Finland must not diverge from that path."
Niinistö has previously referenced migration policy and responses to the 2015 refugee crisis in this context.
He went on to discuss Finland's security policies in relation to a changing international environment, stating that the AUKUS deal on submarines demonstrated that things are not set in stone.
That agreement, for Australia to source submarine technology from the UK and US and break a contract to buy submarines from France, prompted the French government to withdraw its ambassadors from Australia and the US.
Although Finland is not a member of Nato, the country's military has deepened co-operation with the alliance in recent years.
Niinistö said that Finland's defence relationships and agreements are also developing all the time, and that he saw a "broad variety" of new relationships as a positive development.
"We will not automatically participate in all new initiatives that emerge," said Niinistö. "But those that serve our interests, will help us further improve our interoperability with chosen partners. And they are complementary reinforcements to the two essential components of the second pillar of our security: our EU membership and our close partnership with NATO."
The entire speech, which was delivered in English, can be read at the president's official website.