Finland's President Alexander Stubb officially opened the annual session of parliament on Wednesday afternoon, as MPs returned from their winter break.
It is traditional for Finland's head of state to declare each annual session of parliament open, usually around the first week of February.
In his speech to lawmakers, Stubb noted that US foreign policy will pose a "challenge" for Finland and for Europe during the upcoming parliamentary term.
"In foreign policy, recognising the facts is the beginning of wisdom. The foreign policy of our close ally, the United States, currently relies more on transactions than on multilateralism," Stubb said, adding that Europe must "bring opportunities for cooperation to the table", although without compromising on its core principles.
He also noted that it has been nearly three years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Ukraine’s cause is ours. In the short term, we must continue our economic, political and military support for Ukraine. In the medium term, we must find a peace solution that respects Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity," Stubb said.
As Wednesday was Runeberg Day in Finland, marking the birth of the country's national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Stubb ended his speech by quoting from the poem "Our Land".
"However fate may cast our lot a land, a fatherland, we’ve got. Will there a thing on earth appear, more worthy, to hold dear?", Stubb said in Finnish, adding his own interpretation that "we all work for Finland, together."
Halla-aho questions where Nato responsibility lies
While Stubb's speech to parliament struck a positive tone, the follow-up remarks from parliamentary speaker Jussi Halla-aho (Finns) were more downbeat.
"Every year has brought surprises, usually unpleasant ones, and there is no reason to believe that the year 2025 would be an exception in this respect," Halla-aho said.
However, he added that Finland could still have a positive impact on global events with good preparation and — echoing Stubb's last point — by working together.
"Finland is a small and egalitarian society, where decision-makers do not usually jealously guard their own territory, but communication, including informal communication, can be practiced with a low threshold across party and institutional boundaries," Halla-aho noted.
This was especially relevant in relation to who leads Finland's policy in relation to Nato, he added, and whether such matters were the responsibility of defence or foreign policy units.
The question has been the subject of debate since Finland joined the alliance in April 2023, as the Office of the President traditionally leads Finland in foreign policy while the Prime Minister and domestic ministries are in charge of defence arrangements.
This has led to some confusion, both within Finland and among Nato allies, as the President takes one role and the Prime Minister another.
In relation to this question, Stubb said he will abide by the Finnish Constitution.
"For the President of the Republic, the Constitution is not an opinion, but the cornerstone of democracy and authority," he told MPs.
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