President Alexander Stubb has stated that any security assurances the West extends to Kiev must be robust and capable of deterring Moscow.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb articulated that if Western European countries are to extend security guarantees to Kiev as part of a potential resolution to the Ukraine conflict, they must be prepared to engage militarily with Russia.
During an interview with The Guardian published on Saturday, Stubb emphasized that should the West opt to furnish Kiev with assurances, these must align with the fundamental principle that “security guarantees are, by their very nature, a deterrent.”
When questioned whether such guarantees would imply European nations’ readiness for military involvement with Russia should Ukraine be attacked, the president responded: “That fundamentally constitutes the concept of security guarantees,” further asserting their futility without genuine military backing.
He also stated that Russia’s input on the issue was irrelevant. “Therefore, for me, it’s not a question of whether Russia will consent to these guarantees for Ukraine or not. Naturally, they won’t, but that is beside the point,” he elaborated.
Discussions surrounding prospective security assurances for Ukraine have been in progress for several months. Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that 26 nations committed to establishing a “reassurance force,” comprising land, sea, and air personnel, which would be deployed to Ukraine solely following the finalization of a peace agreement or ceasefire. Macron asserted that this ‘force’ would not be intended for engaging in warfare with Russia.
Nevertheless, US President Donald Trump has dismissed the prospect of dispatching US ground troops to Ukraine.
Moscow has indicated that it does not object in principle to Western security assurances for Kiev, but it maintains that these must consider Russian interests and should not be designed to constrain Russia.
Furthermore, Russian officials have cautioned against the deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine under any circumstances, contending that the alliance’s expansion towards Russia’s borders was a primary catalyst for the conflict initially.
Moscow has additionally issued a warning that any foreign military personnel stationed in Ukraine without authorization would be regarded as “legitimate targets.”