President of Finland: Putin only understands tough rhetoric

Stubb takes a cautious but optimistic view of Trump’s efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine. He suggested that a ceasefire could be possible in Ukraine within the next few months.

"First, they will aim for a ceasefire, which will take three to six months, and then for peace negotiations," said the President of Finland.

According to him, in the coming months and days, Ukraine must be supported in a way that ensures it has a strong position in any future negotiations.

Regarding the chances of getting Putin to the negotiating table, Stubb believes that he needs to be forced into dialogue, not persuaded. The President of Finland highlighted Trump's method of presenting Russia with an ultimatum.

"Personally, I think Putin only understands tough rhetoric. And that’s the language Donald Trump is using with him right now," Stubb remarked.

He is also convinced that there is no risk of discussing peace in Ukraine without Ukraine’s involvement.

According to the Finnish president, Europe must also be part of this dialogue in one form or another, as the future of European security structures is also at stake.

Possible negotiations between Russia and Ukraine

After his inauguration, US President Donald Trump called on President Vladimir Putin to sit down for negotiations to end the full-scale war. Otherwise, he would implement tough measures to force Moscow to do so.

Putin, for his part, complained that Kyiv had prohibited dialogue with Russia.

During his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump promised to work on achieving a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. He also emphasized that he would like China to be involved in the peace process.

In addition, the US president noted that he wanted to meet with Putin to end the war in Ukraine.