Alexander Stubb, President of Finland: “Having seen that carrots rarely work with the Russians, Trump has moved to the stick stage”
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has spoken out about Trump’s stance on Russia.
Who doesn’t love a friendship blossoming over a round of golf? That’s exactly what Finland’s President Alexander Stubb did, and now he’s spoken out regarding the US President’s stance on Russia.
Speaking to POLITICO from Helsinki, Donald Trump’s very friendly ally, who has been a huge supporter of Ukraine since the eastern European nation was invaded by Russian forces, said the following: “Having seen that carrots rarely work with the Russians, he has moved to the stick stage. Now it’s just a question of how big the stick is going to be.”
“President Trump is working if not around the clock, then every day with trying to end the war,” Stubb added. “He has 14 clubs in his bag.”
His stance stands apart from the doubt voiced in Brussels and other European capitals, where several officials brushed off Trump’s claim that Ukraine might reclaim all its land from Russia as little more than empty rhetoric.
Everything from sanctions to tariffs and even expanded military aid have been proposed as potential methods of help from the US president. However, Stubb is confident that the correct decision will be made: “You don’t have to read ‘The Art of [the] Deal’ to understand the way in which President Trump negotiates,” he said. “It’s unconventional but it is quite results-oriented … If Putin after [meeting Trump for an Aug. 15 summit in] Alaska basically continues to kill civilians in Ukraine, President Trump is justifiably going to react.”
As for Europe, Stubb said that he is keen on Ukraine’s access to the EU being given the green light, despite the veto from Hungary’s Viktor Orbán.
I gave a joint statement on behalf of the Nordic countries at the UN Security Council. It is time for Russia to come to the negotiating table. Ukraine needs a just and lasting peace. pic.twitter.com/62oFxyhEkH
— Alexander Stubb (@alexstubb) September 24, 2025
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“Any decision-making mechanism, which gives more flexibility and less possibility to block I personally welcome. And never more so than with Ukraine. I always say never underestimate the capacity of the lawyers of both the European Commission and the Council to find creative solutions in these kinds of situations. Ukraine’s membership of the European Union is of strategic importance. The sooner it happens, the better.”
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