Finland's Stubb urges U.S. sanctions to force Putin to negotiate
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that new sanctions against Russia should be introduced. (Photo: REUTERS/Kent Nishimura)
The United States should push for a new round of sanctions to paralyze Russia's industry and finally force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, Finland's President Alexander Stubb said in an interview with Politico published on Nov. 17.
"Trump either goes for carrot or for stick," Stubb said. "He tried the carrot in Alaska and in his phone conversation with Putin. And when he realized that the Russians are not going to move and they're not interested in peace, he [Trump] went for stick."
Stubb said the West is now in "stick mode," with sanctions as the next step.
"The only person Putin listens to is an oligarch," the Finnish leader said. "In that sense, if the oligarchs come to the conclusion in Russia that economically this is too complicated, then things might start to happen."
Stubb also responded to questions about whether Europe should engage Putin directly, as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban suggested.
"Whenever that moment [for direct talks] comes, which it will at some stage ... it'll have to be coordinated," he said.
Stubb expressed satisfaction with Washington taking the lead for now.
"If we can contribute ... if we can mediate, if we can have conversations with the Ukrainians, with the Americans, with the Europeans, I think that's good enough," he said, adding that a just and lasting peace is more important than Europe getting "a photo op."
At the same time, on the prospects for a Ukraine ceasefire, Stubb was pessimistic.
"Failing all this and reading the room right now, having had conversations with [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy on Friday, with my American friends and European friends over the past few weeks, I just don't see that [a ceasefire] in the cards," he said.
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