Latest news with #Naantali
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Finnish President Alexander Stubb spoke to CBC News to talk Trump, the war in Ukraine and what it's like sharing a 1,300-kilometre border with Russia.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb says he is pessimistic that a ceasefire can be achieved in Ukraine by summer's end, given that the momentum for a deal has slowed, and that Vladimir Putin has shown no interest in even agreeing to a temporary truce. Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre border with Russia, joined the NATO alliance in 2023 as a result of the Kremlin's war on Ukraine. Since then, Stubb has become an influential voice of support for Kyiv and the broader issues of European security. "We're coming, you know, to a point where everyone understands that we have to end this war," he said. "You see ... the collateral damage of this war is mind-blowing. "And then we have to ask ourselves the question, if this is a stalemate, if it's a war of attrition, how long can we allow it to continue?" Speaking to CBC News during a wide-ranging interview from the sprawling official presidential residence in Naantali, Finland, Stubb talked about the evolving threat from Russia, Arctic security and his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. He even had a few words of advice for made headlines over the last few months for inviting world leaders to the Oval Office for public meetings, with top administration officials and journalists looking on. Politicians were forced to tread carefully while speaking to the often-volatile U.S. president. But Stubb had a more casual interaction. In March, he played golf with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Stubb's office said the two discussed security issues over lunch — including Ukraine. "In Finnish history, it's quite rare that the Finnish president has spent so much time with the president of the United States, either physically or on the phone or messaging," Stubb said. But he said it's important for the leader of a small country to maintain good relations with the head of a large one. Stubb told CBC News that his approach to foreign policy — and in particular Trump — is to deal with the reality in front of you: Instead of trying to change the situation, figure out how to best influence it. "So you know, we have a straightforward, good relationship with President Trump," he said. "At the same time, I have no illusions."While Trump had previously vowed to quickly end the war in Ukraine, a ceasefire — let alone a peace deal — remains far off and the growing frustration is apparent. After Trump met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Pope's funeral in April, Stubb said he was more optimistic that there could be a ceasefire, but he now feels differently. "There doesn't seem to be a momentum," he said. "I think we're gonna have to grind this out, unfortunately, this summer and see how it moves into the fall." Given Russia's refusal to agree to a truce, Stubb is adamant that military support for Ukraine needs to be increased, and sanctions against Russia stiffened. The European Union is hoping to approve its 18th package of sanctions against Russia by the end of this week, and Stubb would like to see Trump support a bipartisan bill by a group of U.S. senators imposing a 500 per cent tariff on countries that buy Russian energy. If passed, the measure would hit China and India particularly hard. While Finland is boosting its defences along its border with Russia and preparing to host a contingent of NATO land forces, it is also heavily focused on maritime security. Stubb believes that China and Russia will try to exert control over a greater swath of the Arctic, where a warming climate will make waters more navigable, potentially leading to territorial conflicts, and increased competition for shipping routes and resources. Given that Russia has dozens of icebreakers, Stubb says NATO needs to be bolstering its has built more than half of the world's icebreakers, he said. Last year, the country signed a deal with Canada and the U.S. allowing all three nations to share expertise and ramp up construction of the ships. Construction is beginning on the PolarMax icebreaker, which will be built both in Quebec and in Finland, and is expected to be delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard by 2030. "The threat in the Arctic is security-based," he said. "It's also about an economic rivalry and it's also about climate change." Stubb is an avid hockey fan and his father, Göran Stubb, was a top European NHL scout for decades. Throughout the interview with CBC News, he spoke about hockey rivalries, and the shared connection between Finland and Canada. "When I was a kid, I spent summers in the U.S. and in Canada, and I studied in the U.S., so my heart is in North America quite often," he said. When asked for advice about how Canadians should handle living next to a large, dominant neighbour, he replied that he believes Canada-U.S. relations have always been "rock-solid.""Just continue to work with the Americans as allies and as friends," he said. "You should never get flustered, you know, stay cool, calm and collected." And what does he think about the recent elbows up movement? "Elbows up is fine, but I still think that they fight too much in the rink in the NHL," he said. "If sometimes language seems a bit on the rough side, take an ice bath and a sauna. That helps."
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Finland's president on the Ukraine war, golfing with Trump and elbows up
Finnish President Alexander Stubb says he is pessimistic that a ceasefire can be achieved in Ukraine by summer's end, given that the momentum for a deal has slowed, and that Vladimir Putin has shown no interest in even agreeing to a temporary truce. Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre border with Russia, joined the NATO alliance in 2023 as a result of the Kremlin's war on Ukraine. Since then, Stubb has become an influential voice of support for Kyiv and the broader issues of European security. "We're coming, you know, to a point where everyone understands that we have to end this war," he said. "You see ... the collateral damage of this war is mind-blowing. "And then we have to ask ourselves the question, if this is a stalemate, if it's a war of attrition, how long can we allow it to continue?" Speaking to CBC News during a wide-ranging interview from the sprawling official presidential residence in Naantali, Finland, Stubb talked about the evolving threat from Russia, Arctic security and his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. He even had a few words of advice for made headlines over the last few months for inviting world leaders to the Oval Office for public meetings, with top administration officials and journalists looking on. Politicians were forced to tread carefully while speaking to the often-volatile U.S. president. But Stubb had a more casual interaction. In March, he played golf with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Stubb's office said the two discussed security issues over lunch — including Ukraine. "In Finnish history, it's quite rare that the Finnish president has spent so much time with the president of the United States, either physically or on the phone or messaging," Stubb said. But he said it's important for the leader of a small country to maintain good relations with the head of a large one. Stubb told CBC News that his approach to foreign policy — and in particular Trump — is to deal with the reality in front of you: Instead of trying to change the situation, figure out how to best influence it. "So you know, we have a straightforward, good relationship with President Trump," he said. "At the same time, I have no illusions."While Trump had previously vowed to quickly end the war in Ukraine, a ceasefire — let alone a peace deal — remains far off and the growing frustration is apparent. After Trump met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Pope's funeral in April, Stubb said he was more optimistic that there could be a ceasefire, but he now feels differently. "There doesn't seem to be a momentum," he said. "I think we're gonna have to grind this out, unfortunately, this summer and see how it moves into the fall." Given Russia's refusal to agree to a truce, Stubb is adamant that military support for Ukraine needs to be increased, and sanctions against Russia stiffened. The European Union is hoping to approve its 18th package of sanctions against Russia by the end of this week, and Stubb would like to see Trump support a bipartisan bill by a group of U.S. senators imposing a 500 per cent tariff on countries that buy Russian energy. If passed, the measure would hit China and India particularly hard. While Finland is boosting its defences along its border with Russia and preparing to host a contingent of NATO land forces, it is also heavily focused on maritime security. Stubb believes that China and Russia will try to exert control over a greater swath of the Arctic, where a warming climate will make waters more navigable, potentially leading to territorial conflicts, and increased competition for shipping routes and resources. Given that Russia has dozens of icebreakers, Stubb says NATO needs to be bolstering its fleet. Finland has built more than half of the world's icebreakers, he said. Last year, the country signed a deal with Canada and the U.S. allowing all three nations to share expertise and ramp up construction of the ships. Construction is beginning on the PolarMax icebreaker, which will be built both in Quebec and in Finland, and is expected to be delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard by 2030. "The threat in the Arctic is security-based," he said. "It's also about an economic rivalry and it's also about climate change." Stubb is an avid hockey fan and his father, Göran Stubb, was a top European NHL scout for decades. Throughout the interview with CBC News, he spoke about hockey rivalries, and the shared connection between Finland and Canada. "When I was a kid, I spent summers in the U.S. and in Canada, and I studied in the U.S., so my heart is in North America quite often," he said. When asked for advice about how Canadians should handle living next to a large, dominant neighbour, he replied that he believes Canada-U.S. relations have always been "rock-solid.""Just continue to work with the Americans as allies and as friends," he said. "You should never get flustered, you know, stay cool, calm and collected." And what does he think about the recent elbows up movement? "Elbows up is fine, but I still think that they fight too much in the rink in the NHL," he said. "If sometimes language seems a bit on the rough side, take an ice bath and a sauna. That helps."
CBC
09-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Finland's president on the Ukraine war, golfing with Trump and elbows up
Finnish President Alexander Stubb says he is pessimistic that a ceasefire can be achieved in Ukraine by summer's end, given that the momentum for a deal has slowed, and that Vladimir Putin has shown no interest in even agreeing to a temporary truce. Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre border with Russia, joined the NATO alliance in 2023 as a result of the Kremlin's war on Ukraine. Since then, Stubb has become an influential voice of support for Kyiv and the broader issues of European security. "We're coming, you know, to a point where everyone understands that we have to end this war," he said. "You see ... the collateral damage of this war is mind-blowing. "And then we have to ask ourselves the question, if this is a stalemate, if it's a war of attrition, how long can we allow it to continue?" Speaking to CBC News during a wide-ranging interview from the sprawling official presidential residence in Naantali, Finland, Stubb talked about the evolving threat from Russia, Arctic security and his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. He even had a few words of advice for Canada. WATCH | Stubb on Putin: Putin only understands 'language of power,' Finland's president says Duration 1:53 Finnish President Alexander Stubb says he is pessimistic about the possibility for a ceasefire in the Ukraine-Russia war before the end of summer. Teeing off with Trump Trump made headlines over the last few months for inviting world leaders to the Oval Office for public meetings, with top administration officials and journalists looking on. Politicians were forced to tread carefully while speaking to the often-volatile U.S. president. But Stubb had a more casual interaction. In March, he played golf with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Stubb's office said the two discussed security issues over lunch — including Ukraine. In this photo posted by U.S. President Donald Trump, Stubb poses after playing a round of golf in Florida. (@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social) "In Finnish history, it's quite rare that the Finnish president has spent so much time with the president of the United States, either physically or on the phone or messaging," Stubb said. But he said it's important for the leader of a small country to maintain good relations with the head of a large one. Stubb told CBC News that his approach to foreign policy — and in particular Trump — is to deal with the reality in front of you: Instead of trying to change the situation, figure out how to best influence it. "So you know, we have a straightforward, good relationship with President Trump," he said. "At the same time, I have no illusions." WATCH | Stubb on his relationship with Trump: Finland's president says he has 'no illusions' about his relationship with Trump Duration 1:42 Finnish President Alexander Stubb says he believes U.S. President Donald Trump's foreign policy is 'transactional,' but it's important for a small country like his to maintain good relations with a much larger one. 'There doesn't seem to be a momentum' While Trump had previously vowed to quickly end the war in Ukraine, a ceasefire — let alone a peace deal — remains far off and the growing frustration is apparent. After Trump met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Pope's funeral in April, Stubb said he was more optimistic that there could be a ceasefire, but he now feels differently. Trump and Stubb attend the funeral Mass of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican in April 2025. (Nathan Howard/Reuters) "There doesn't seem to be a momentum," he said. "I think we're gonna have to grind this out, unfortunately, this summer and see how it moves into the fall." Given Russia's refusal to agree to a truce, Stubb is adamant that military support for Ukraine needs to be increased, and sanctions against Russia stiffened. The European Union is hoping to approve its 18th package of sanctions against Russia by the end of this week, and Stubb would like to see Trump support a bipartisan bill by a group of U.S. senators imposing a 500 per cent tariff on countries that buy Russian energy. If passed, the measure would hit China and India particularly hard. NATO needs to bolster icebreakers, Stubb says While Finland is boosting its defences along its border with Russia and preparing to host a contingent of NATO land forces, it is also heavily focused on maritime security. Stubb believes that China and Russia will try to exert control over a greater swath of the Arctic, where a warming climate will make waters more navigable, potentially leading to territorial conflicts, and increased competition for shipping routes and resources. Given that Russia has dozens of icebreakers, Stubb says NATO needs to be bolstering its fleet. WATCH | Why Stubb believes the U.S. should invest in Greenland: Finland's president explains why the U.S. could have more military bases in Greenland Duration 1:41 Finnish President Alexander Stubb says he believes rather than the U.S. taking control of Greenland, the Trump administration should invest in the semi-autonomous Danish territory instead. Finland has built more than half of the world's icebreakers, he said. Last year, the country signed a deal with Canada and the U.S. allowing all three nations to share expertise and ramp up construction of the ships. Construction is beginning on the PolarMax icebreaker, which will be built both in Quebec and in Finland, and is expected to be delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard by 2030 . "The threat in the Arctic is security-based," he said. "It's also about an economic rivalry and it's also about climate change." Stubb stands at the official summer residence of the president of Finland in Naantali on July 3. (Adrian Di Virgilio/CBC) And the elbows up movement? Stubb is an avid hockey fan and his father, Göran Stubb, was a top European NHL scout for decades. Throughout the interview with CBC News, he spoke about hockey rivalries, and the shared connection between Finland and Canada. "When I was a kid, I spent summers in the U.S. and in Canada, and I studied in the U.S., so my heart is in North America quite often," he said. When asked for advice about how Canadians should handle living next to a large, dominant neighbour, he replied that he believes Canada-U.S. relations have always been "rock-solid." WATCH | See Stubb learn about elbows up: Finland's president learns what 'elbows up' means Duration 1:08 Finnish President Alexander Stubb jokes that a sauna and an ice bath might be a welcome addition to Canada's 'elbows up' slogan against Donald Trump's tariffs and annexation threats. "Just continue to work with the Americans as allies and as friends," he said. "You should never get flustered, you know, stay cool, calm and collected." And what does he think about the recent elbows up movement? "Elbows up is fine, but I still think that they fight too much in the rink in the NHL," he said. "If sometimes language seems a bit on the rough side, take an ice bath and a sauna. That helps."
Zawya
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Diplomacy in Motion: Kenya and Finland Align for a Changing World
H.E. Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, EGH, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, represented President William Samoei Ruto at 13th Kultaranta Talks held on 16–17 June 2025 in Naantali, Finland. Hosted by President Alexander Stubb, this year's talks focused on 'The Changing World Order – Old Meets New,' convening global leaders to address shifting power dynamics and international cooperation. Kenya participated in the high-level panel 'Accumulation of Shocks at the Global Level – What the West Should Understand,' moderated by Fareed Zakaria. Dr. Mudavadi addressed the rising fragmentation of the global system, noting that multilateral diplomacy is weakening as nationalism and unilateralism grow. He highlighted how regional disruptions, particularly in Africa, now have undeniable global implications. He underscored the continent's complex duality—persistent conflict affecting nearly 500 million people, alongside the growing momentum of African agency. Dr. Mudavadi called for Africa's full representation in global institutions, especially the UN Security Council, where it remains the only region without a permanent seat. Citing Africa's young and growing population, he stated: 'Make space—the future is African.' On the sidelines of the Talks, Dr. Mudavadi met with Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen to review bilateral progress, building on the May 2025 State Visit of President Stubb to Kenya. The two countries reaffirmed cooperation in peace mediation, education, climate action, and trade. Kenya acknowledged Finland's developmental support—particularly through Finn fund—in areas such as health, renewable energy, and digital infrastructure. Dr. Mudavadi called for deeper collaboration in conflict resolution, including support for Kenya's initiative to develop a treaty on international mediation. Kenya also sought Finland's endorsement of Nairobi as the host of the Global Plastics Treaty Secretariat, strengthening global environmental governance. As global uncertainties mount, the Kenya-Finland partnership demonstrates the value of principled diplomacy and inclusive dialogue. Kenya's voice at Kultaranta signalled Africa's growing influence in shaping a more just, peaceful, and cooperative global order. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Republic of Kenya.
The Sun
11-06-2025
- The Sun
My family train journey in Europe that made me realise how awful British rail services are
WHEN I told my kids the train we were taking had a play area, they had to see it to believe it. We were on the platform at Central Station in Finland's capital city, Helsinki, ready for our two-hour journey to Turku to reach the seaside town of Naantali. 7 We had seats booked, but the carriage we couldn't wait to board was easy to spot as it displayed a picture of a large cartoon cat on the side. Climbing the small staircase up to the top deck, there it was - as enticing as it looked in the pictures, and as clean too. Plus, both the front and back entrances to the carriage were protected by gates that were easy to push and pull open, but sturdy enough to keep a toddler in. Play while you travel - screen-free At the end of the carriage, which had around 40 standard seats, the play area featured a slide with cubby area at the top, plus a bookshelf next to a cosy area with several low stools lined up by the window. There was also a brightly-painted wooden train structure, big enough for four or so kids to sit in and pretend they were driving. Before the train had even left, our boys, aged six and two, had been up and down the slide about 20 times, shrieking with delight each time. They had also already had multiple arguments about who would get to be the train driver. While my husband and I did remind them to be gentle, we didn't tell them off for being noisy or feel bad about the ruckus they were making, as surely, that was the whole point of having a play area on a train. A number of Finnish children joined them throughout the journey, happily taking turns across each area. I worried that when the train was at its fastest or bumpiest, the play area wouldn't be safe as the kids would be more inclined to fall and hit their heads, but the train was so smooth it wasn't an issue at all. Our seats were the closest to the play area, so we tried to take a leaf out of the book of the Finnish mum next to us, literally, as she was relaxing in her seat reading a book while her daughter occupied herself in the play area. The carriage remained about half full throughout the whole journey, including with passengers who didn't have kids, who opted to sit there. Cleanliness is king When our youngest, who is 2.5 and not yet potty trained (that's a whole other story), decided that a good time to do a poo would be at the beginning of the journey, I had a slight feeling of dread as neither of us had changed him on a moving train before. I quickly found the toilet downstairs, which, to my relief, was not just spacious and clean, but also featured a large, pull-down changing table above the toilet - plenty of room and plenty strong enough for my large toddler. 7 I also spotted a potty in the corner, should we (he) be inclined to use it. This was something we noticed frequently in public toilets across Finland, which is a much better alternative to finding a potty with a lid and dragging that across the country. There was also a shelf next to the sink with a bottle warmer. I've never seen a potty in a public toilet in the UK, as I can't imagine people would remember to clean it. I also noticed that at the wall next to each row of seats was a pile of detachable plastic bags for rubbish, rather than trying to stuff your trash in an overflowing bin at the end of the carriage like we have to in the UK. 7 They haven't forgotten food and relaxation either We found a fully-functioning cafe car in the next carriage over, where passengers were relaxing over a beer, or working on their laptops with a coffee. The menu included hot meals like meatballs and mash and salmon pasta, as well as kids meals like sausage and chips, or nuggets and chips. They also offered a Finnish meat pie, which is kind of like fried bread with a fragrant mince meat filling. On our return journey, we opted for a private family compartment as our journey was later in the day. I haven't seen anything like this on offer in the UK. The compartment, featuring four seats facing the window, plus luggage rack and coat hooks and mini play area at one end, was on the lower level of the carriage, meaning you had to go up the stairs to play in the play carriage. We let our older son go up and down as he pleased, but he soon got tired and came back to join us in our private compartment, where our toddler had already dozed off while sprawled out across his seat. While we were proud of our fully screen-free first journey, as we'd had a busy morning we were happy for our oldest to watch a show on the iPad. 7 As we were in a private compartment, he didn't have to use headphones or worry about the volume. The cafe car wasn't open on this train, but a trolley came round with sandwiches, muffins and drinks. My husband and I managed to have a short doze, too. We couldn't believe our first long train journey as a family had gone so smoothly, thanks to the Finnish train system thinking so clearly about kids. My husband and I joked that in the UK, a play area on a train carriage would quickly fill up with empty beer cans and be defaced by teenagers. Finnish trains offer great value Prices vary depending how far in advance you book and how many tickets have already been sold, but we also couldn't believe what amazing value our journeys were. Our first leg from Helsinki to Turku in the play carriage cost around €19.80 for both of us, and €6 for our six year old, with our toddler travelling free - a total of €25.80, or around £22. Our return journey didn't cost much more - two adult tickets were around €6 each, with our six-year-old's ticket being €3.60, plus a €14.70 surcharge for the private family compartment, so a total of €30.10, or around £25.50. 7 That's basically how much it costs me to commute on my own from our town into London, which is less than an hour's journey. The way the Finns accommodate families with children in their public services is truly inspiring and makes it really appealing as a family holiday destination. You can see why Finland is the happiest country in the world. Days can also last three months in Finland. Plus, the best holiday parks, hotels and pubs in England 2025 revealed – with soft play, safari lodges and floating pods. 7
