Finnish President Alexander Stubb reaffirmed that Ukraine’s membership in the European Union and NATO is non-negotiable, stressing the importance of these alliances for ensuring the country’s sovereignty and security. During a speech at the Munich Security Conference on February 16, Stubb outlined a three-stage process to achieve peace in Ukraine.
The first stage involves initial negotiations with Russia, including military aid and increased international pressure, as well as expanded sanctions and asset freezes. The US may propose temporary security guarantees for Ukraine during this phase, but a timeline is unclear.
The second stage would involve a ceasefire, marked by border demarcation, international monitoring, and humanitarian agreements such as prisoner exchanges and the return of kidnapped Ukrainian children. If Russia were to launch another attack, Stubb argued that Ukraine should be immediately granted NATO membership as a deterrent.
Stubb drew on Finland’s own historical experience to emphasize the need for Ukraine to maintain its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Unlike Finland after World War II, which made territorial concessions in exchange for peace, Stubb vowed that no such compromises would be made on Ukraine’s future alliances.
Ultimately, Stubb sees full recognition of Ukraine as a sovereign European state, backed by security guarantees and NATO integration, as the ultimate goal of diplomatic efforts.
Source: https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-place-in-eu-nato-non-negotiable-finnish-president-says