The war in Ukraine dominated President Sauli Niinistö's New Year speech, with Russia's aggression — and Europe's response — weighing heavily on the president's mind.
"The past year suddenly took us back to the past," said Niinistö. "To something that, generation by generation, we had begun to consider increasingly distant, and almost impossible in its irrationality. The horrors of a major war returned to Europe."
Niinistö said that Russia had made a grave mistake, if it believed that Ukraine would be defeated quickly.
"One cannot avoid thinking about the similarities the situation has with our Winter War when the Soviet Union assumed that they would march into Helsinki within two weeks," noted Niinistö.
"As leaders of a country under authoritarian rule, Stalin and Putin failed to recognise a key factor. The fact that people living in a free country have their own will and convictions. And that a nation that works together constitutes an immense force."
Niinistö said that the outpouring of public support for Ukraine, and the way western countries have matched that support with concrete military and humanitarian aid, may also have been unexpected in Moscow.
Putin likely expected support for Ukraine to dissipate quickly.
"Quite the opposite happened," said Niinistö. "Instead of only feeling empathy, we are deeply living through this with the Ukrainians. We have embraced the matter of the Ukrainians as our own. And the support for Ukraine only grows stronger."
Two different worldviews
The fundamental question raised by Russia's war has not yet been answered, according to Niinistö.
"How is it possible that the geographical border cutting through Europe is in fact a border between two totally different world views?" asked the president.
"On this side of that border, it is impossible to even think that a nation could ever imagine starting a war against another. On the Russian side of the border, things are different."
Niinistö said that in the end, the difference is a question of humanity and respect for human life.
Even so, Finland's head of state said there needed to be courage to discuss peace — as each day of war increases the cost for Ukraine and the world.
"The outlook is grim," said Niinistö. "But a just peace is such an important objective that any genuine attempts to reach it are worth advocating. So, too, are Ukraine’s efforts to have their initiative processed by the UN."
"Good alone is not sufficient to silence evil"
The president said it was also necessary to consider how the current situation has been allowed to develop.
"How did we come to believe that it is impossible for something to happen, that then actually happened?" asked Niinistö.
"There have been wars in the Middle East, Africa, but also in Europe: in the Balkans, in Georgia – and even in Ukraine for almost nine years. There has been plenty of cruelty around the world. Perhaps we – in Finland, the Nordic Countries, Europe, and the West in general – have just wanted to lull ourselves into thinking that cruelty will not reach us."
The president said that not everyone is willing to adopt the western model, and Finns had to adjust to that.
"The good alone is not sufficient to silence the evil. Facing evil requires determination and firmness. But in our deeds we must never succumb to evil ourselves."
Niinistö also praised Finland's decision to join Nato, which occurred at lightning speed in the spring after decades of meagre public support for joining the alliance.
Non-aligned no more
It is a historic shift, noted Niinistö, as it ends the era of Finland's non-alignment.
"This is a major change in how we safeguard our security," said Niinistö. "However, there is continuity in our foreign policy: Finland has a stable and established line of policy as a member of the EU and as one of the Nordic countries."
"The rest of the world knows Finland as a competent and trustworthy country which acts in a predictable manner. This kind of reputation is worth holding on to in the future as well."
Niinistö also claimed that Finland may be more open and tolerant than the other Nordic countries, possibly even than the whole world.
He suggested that this might have a downside, as "evil is good at finding the one that is most lenient of all".
"In the Nordic countries, the direction is now towards strengthening public order and the safety of individuals," he observed.
Niinistö also praised the Montreal agreement on biodiversity, and said that Finnish companies should move quickly to secure new markets in low-carbon technologies.
"The current energy crisis is an opportunity to speed up the transfer to zero-carbon energy sources," said Niinistö. "At the same time, the measures contribute to improvements in our own security and security of supply."
Niinistö closed his speech by noting people's resilience even in difficult times.
"When the going gets tough, all of us find new skills and qualities in ourselves," "This is all about our “sisu”, the combination of willpower and perseverance."
The whole speech is available to read on the president's official website.