Finland's President issues pessimistic forecast for Ukraine peace talks
Photo: Finnish President Alexander Stubb (GettyImages)
A peace deal for Ukraine could be a compromise and may be unfair, said Finland's President Alexander Stubb in an interview with Finnish media.
The President openly admitted he was disappointed when he saw the initial version of the peace plan.
"The reality is that peace can be good, bad, or somewhere in between," he said, emphasizing that it is unrealistic to expect all the conditions for a just peace, discussed over recent years, to be met.
"We, Finns, must be prepared for the moment when peace comes… and all conditions for a just peace will likely not be fulfilled," Stubb added.
The President also noted that Finland could play a role in providing security guarantees for Ukraine, as the country has some of the strongest defense forces in Europe.
Stubb's statement draws attention by openly acknowledging that even with Western support, a fully fair peace for Ukraine is not guaranteed, and negotiations may involve compromises that do not fully align with national interests.
Peace plan for Ukraine
The recently published 28-point peace plan has raised concerns among European leaders and Ukrainians due to provisions seen as unfavorable for Ukraine.
Earlier, Alexander Stubb emphasized that peace negotiations are only possible if Ukraine maintains a strong position on the battlefield and its allies are ready to support its defense capabilities.
Stubb believes Ukraine must be prepared for a realistic scenario in which peace involves compromises, and that post-war security guarantees require clear agreements and international support.
That is why Ukraine and its allies need to continue strengthening defense capabilities and international support, even while peace talks are ongoing.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian officials have met several times with US representatives regarding the US peace plan.
After the initial talks in Geneva, the document was reduced from 28 to 19 points. Details of the revised version are not yet known, but it no longer limits the size of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
It was also reported that President Zelenskyy said discussions on territorial issues lasted 6.5 hours, but reached a deadlock: Ukraine is not ready to cede unoccupied parts of the Donbas to Russia.
