'De-escalation in the Middle East, Ukraine in NATO': Finland's crisis response
Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen: 'Only slight differences between EU countries on Iran. Priority remains the war in Ukraine: it would be a pity not to have Kiev in NATO in the near future, it also deserves to join the EU once the reforms are done"
Working on a de-escalation of the new Middle East conflict and the restoration of international law violated first and foremost by Iran, without forgetting that the war in Ukraine remains Europe's priority and that Kiev should be guaranteed entry into NATO, perhaps more urgently than entry into the EU. This is the recipe of Elina Valtonen, foreign minister of the centre-right Finnish government, to tackle the two major international crises of the moment, in an interview granted to Il Sole 24 Ore during the Arctic Circle Forum in Rome.
The new conflict in the Middle East has brought out different points of view in the EU. Is there a risk that it will further undermine a united European position in the global scenario? And what is Finland's position?
I don't think this is a problem. On Sunday we held an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council and unanimously adopted a declaration. We agree on many points, there are just different opinions or accents on some issues, but that is normal, because we are 27 democracies. As for Finland, we share the position of the EU: international law is the basis for our actions. And certainly the Iranian regime did not respect international law and human rights, while the fact that they are now attacking neighbouring countries and even civilian infrastructure must be strongly condemned.
The question that seems to divide the EU countries, however, is whether a military attack on Iran was justified or not...
There are slight differences, but all European countries abide by international law. The European Union demands first of all an immediate easing of tension. Then negotiations should resume because, if there is to be a lasting solution to the crisis, it can only be political, negotiated.
