Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) has downplayed US president-elect Donald Trump's comments suggesting that the US should take over Greenland, by force if necessary.
"We must keep in mind that Donald Trump has a unique way of speaking. He speaks directly and provocatively; shakes things up. And you have to distinguish between what he says and what is ultimately done," Orpo said on the Yle current-affairs programme Ykkösaamu on Saturday.
According to Orpo, Trump's comments point to his priorities.
"If you think about these things, i.e. Greenland, Panama and Canada, you can see Trump's agenda in the background. He wants to strengthen the position of the United States in both trade and security," said the PM.
Orpo noted that Greenland is critical in terms of the Arctic, while 40 percent of US container traffic passes through the Panama Canal, which is largely owned by Asian interests. Trump has also threatened Canada with high tariffs.
"I don't believe [that we will see] armed action at all, for example regarding Greenland," said Orpo, adding that he does not believe that Greenland will be taken over by the US through any means during the next presidential term.
"You cannot talk about Ukraine without Ukraine or over Ukraine's head"
On Friday, Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen (NCP) also sought to calm concerns over Trump's threats.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Trump said that the US should take over strategically important Greenland and the Panama Canal, without ruling out the military force to do so.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, which – like Finland – is a Nordic Nato ally of the US. Trump's remarks have raised concerns about Nato’s ability to function.
Regarding Ukraine, Trump has said he wants to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin early in his term. There has been speculation that the two will discuss the war in Ukraine.
Orpo said that there has long been talk that peace negotiations regarding Ukraine would not begin until after a handover of power in Washington.
"This is where their meeting is needed. Sooner or later it will come anyway. Our message to Trump has long been that you cannot talk about Ukraine without Ukraine or over Ukraine's head," asserted Orpo.
Trump is set to return to the White House in just over a week, on 20 January.