00:00Finland's president is warning that Europe may be in for a long winter when
00:10it comes to the war in Ukraine. In an interview with the Associated Press,
00:14President Alexander Stubbs said a ceasefire is unlikely before spring and
00:18urged European leaders to stay focused despite mounting challenges both on and
00:24off the battlefield. On a frigid training ground north of Helsinki, Finland's
00:31President Alexander Stubbs watched volunteers practice evacuating wounded
00:35soldiers. His jacket carried a single defining word, Sisu, the Finnish term for
00:41endurance and grit. And it's exactly what he says Europe needs right now. Speaking
00:48with the Associated Press, Stubbs said he doesn't expect a ceasefire in Ukraine at
00:53least this year. He added that while it would be good to get something going by
00:58March, the path ahead is far from simple. Stubbs acknowledged that Ukraine is
01:05dealing with a corruption scandal involving allegations of kickbacks and
01:09embezzlement, a situation he warned plays into the hands of Russia. Still, the
01:14Finland president urged European allies not to let that derail military or
01:20financial support, especially at a time when Russia is making slow but steady gains on
01:25the battlefield. For Finland, the stakes resonate deeply. The country shares an
01:31830 mile border with Russia. In the 1940s, after two wars with Russia, the country
01:37lost about 10 percent of its territory to Moscow and agreed to become militarily
01:42neutral. After decades of neutrality, Finland formally joined NATO following Russia's full-scale
01:49invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
01:54Stubb also occupies a unique diplomatic role. According to AP, he maintains a close personal
02:00rapport with US President Donald Trump, having played golf with him and speaking regularly.
02:06He says that helps him convey Europe's concerns directly.
02:13I can explain to President Trump what Finland went through, or how I see the situation on
02:18the battlefield, or how do you deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. And then, you know,
02:25if he accepts one out of ten ideas, that's good.
02:29AP also reported that Stubb praised Trump's October sanctions on Russian energy giants Lukoil
02:36and Rosneft, calling the move an excellent job. Still, he argues that more pressure is needed,
02:44including tapping into frozen Russian assets in Europe to help fund Ukraine and strengthening
02:49Kyiv's ability to strike Russia's military infrastructure.
02:52Ukraine, he noted, is still negotiating with the US for more advanced weapons systems.
02:59Diplomatically, the situation remains fluid. In mid-October, the White House announced that
03:06Trump would meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest, only to cancel the meeting days later.
03:11Stubb told the AP that the reversal followed a call between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
03:17and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during which Rubio likely realized the Russians
03:24haven't moved an inch.
03:27Stubb said navigating Trump's swings between pressuring and courting both Putin and Zelensky
03:32requires patience. Another form of diplomatic sisu.
03:38You can't have illusions about things that you would like to see happening.
03:43I've tried personally to focus on things such as, we need security guarantees for Ukraine.
03:50How to build those? We need a ceasefire. How can we get that? It's been a bit of a grind.
03:57I guess you need sisu in these types of negotiations as well.
04:04Despite Ukraine's recent missteps, Stubb told the AP he has deep respect for President Volodymyr Zelensky.
04:10Stubb believes his role, and that of other European leaders, is to act as a bridge between Trump and Zelensky.
04:19But when it comes to Putin, he told the AP that only one person should negotiate directly and publicly,
04:26and that is President Trump.
04:29Meanwhile, all this is playing out while Russia steps up hybrid attacks across Europe.
04:34Several countries have reported drone incursions, suspected sabotage, and disinformation campaigns.
04:41In Stubb's words, as the line between war and peace has been blurred,
04:46and that Russia aims to cause havoc and panic across the continent,
04:51his advice for Europe is the same message printed on the back of his jacket.
04:55Be Finnish. Be cool, calm, collected, and have a little bit of that sisu.
05:02Build a us as a bridge for mass.
05:03Bear farts are influenced by the Ukrainian
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