Finland's Foreign Minister Valtonen Protests Against Reaching a Peace Accord in the Ukraine Conflict

Conflict in Ukraine: Finnish Foreign Minister Valtonen expresses opposition to a compromised peace settlement

In the heart of Berlin, the Foreign Office played host to more than 220 heads of German diplomatic missions for a four-day conference in late summer. This annual gathering served as a platform for discussions on the priorities of German foreign and security policy and Germany's role in a changing world.

One of the key topics this year was the ongoing Ukraine crisis and the ambitions of Russia, a matter that has been a source of global concern. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen called for the free world and the EU to strategically contain Russia's ambitions, emphasising the importance of shared costs at the EU level.

Valtonen voiced her opposition to a "compromise peace" for Ukraine that involves territorial concessions to Russia. She argued that such a move would not solve the basic problem and warned that it would take the world back to a time before the UN Charter of 1945, essentially before the Second World War.

The United States, the European Union, and NATO member states have been actively developing strategies to influence Russia's actions regarding the Ukraine crisis. These strategies include providing military aid to Ukraine, such as air defense systems, and sustaining Ukrainian resistance capacity. The EU plans an 18th sanction package targeting Russia's energy revenues and military industry. This package includes bans on transactions linked to Russian gas pipelines like Nord Stream and banks involved in sanction evasion, as well as lowering the price cap on Russian crude oil from $60 to $45 per barrel, with further price reductions proposed by Ukraine.

The U.S. has also threatened 100% tariffs on all Russian trade partners if no resolution occurs within a set ultimatum period and plans to support European troops in Ukraine with intelligence and air defense assistance. These sanctions and military support measures are anticipated to persist over the coming years.

Valtonen stressed that Moscow must be held accountable for the war of aggression and war crimes in Ukraine. She also stated that sacrificing parts of Ukrainian territory or their sovereignty in negotiations would not be a solution. Instead, she believes that Putin's problem should not be solved at the expense of Ukraine.

Furthermore, Valtonen advocated for all Russian exports to the EU internal market to be subject to tariffs. She also suggested that Russia's room for maneuver should be restricted by sanctions in the coming years. She emphasised that the sanctions pressure should not be lifted until Russia has fulfilled its liability for damages.

Valtonen's stance was clear: the coexistence of peoples should not be governed by the ruthlessness of the strongest, but by agreed-upon rules. This perspective was shared by the diplomats gathered in Berlin, as they continue to navigate the complexities of the Ukraine crisis and the challenges posed by Russia's ambitions.