Finnish President Alexander Stubb arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine by train on Monday morning as part of a European delegation. Monday marks the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. During Stubb's visit, he is to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials.
Also taking part in the visit are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the prime ministers of Spain as well as the Baltics and other Nordic countries.
Finnish PM Petteri Orpo (NCP) is not on the trip. Some state leaders are expected to take part in a candlelight event supporting Ukraine in Helsinki on Monday evening.
The visiting dignitaries were met at the Kyiv railway station by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Presidential Administration chief Andrii Yermak.
Stubb and other leaders later spoke at a summit in Kyiv.
"For me, this war is largely about the existence of Ukraine as a nation," Stubb said, adding that Ukraine must obtain "a just peace".
"If we let Russia do what it wants now, not only Ukraine will lose, but so will Europe and the United States," Stubb continued.
"If Russia gets what it wants now, this won't end in Ukraine; Putin will continue on."
This is Stubb's second visit to Ukraine since taking office nearly a year ago. His spouse, Suzanne Innes-Stubb, also visited Kyiv last September.
"On the third anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion, Europe is in Kyiv. We are in Kyiv today, because Ukraine is Europe," von der Leyen said.
The full-scale war is at a critical juncture as its fourth year begins. US President Donald Trump has expressed his desire to end the war quickly and has begun bilateral talks with Russia. The US has made a sharp change in its policy on Ukraine, with Trump last week calling Zelensky "a dictator" and implying that Ukraine is to blame for the war.
According to Stubb, Europe must make it clear to the US that Ukraine cannot lose the war. He believes that direct bilateral negotiations between Washington and Moscow are dangerous.
€4.5m more for Ukrainian resilience
Finland has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since the invasion began on 25 February 2022. Finland announced its latest defence aid package worth 200 million euros, a few weeks ago. This was Finland's 27th support package for Ukraine. In total, Finland has provided around 2.5 billion euros' worth of support for Ukraine's defence.
On Monday, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs announced an additional 4.5 million euros for the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU), a nine-nation effort to support social stability, especially in eastern and southern Ukraine and in territories liberated from temporary occupation that have suffered the most significant damage due to Russia's war of aggression.
The PFRU also focuses on ensuring the equal status of women and girls and supporting victims of sexual violence as well as efforts to return forcefully displaced Ukrainian children.
"The reconstruction of Ukraine and support for basic public services will enhance the country’s resilience, which is also needed to achieve lasting peace," Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio (Finns) said in a press release.
Last autumn, Stubb and Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen (NCP) reprimanded Tavio over his decision to cancel Finland's participation in an international gender-equality alliance for the rebuilding of Ukraine because it also promotes the causes of sexual and gender minorities. In December Tavio backtracked and announced that Finland would participate as originally planned.
12.29: Updated with Stubb comments.
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