Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Russia should be expelled from the U.N. Security Council for engaging in an illegal war against Ukraine. AFP/GETTY IMAGES
THE WATCH STAFF
Finnish President Alexander Stubb called for Russia to be expelled from the U.N. Security Council for its illegal invasion of Ukraine. Stubb, who as president oversees Finnish foreign policy, made his remarks in September 2024 shortly before leaving for the meeting of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Any member state in the U.N.’s most powerful body engaged in an illegal war “such as Russia is in right now in Ukraine,” should be expelled, Stubb told RBC Ukraine, a Kyiv news broadcast company.
European Council President Charles Michel has previously called for Russia to be expelled from the U.N. Security Council. U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron called for limiting Russia’s veto right, and many world leaders have recognized the exigency of reforming the council.
Consisting of five permanent and 10 rotating member states, the U.N. Security Council’s mission is to keep global peace, but geopolitical rivalries have deadlocked it on issues from Ukraine to Gaza. Two-thirds of the General Assembly’s members would have to approve any change to the composition of the council. Stubb said in a September 18 interview with Reuters he would propose the number of permanent members be expanded from five to 10, with one more from Latin America, two from Africa and two from Asia.
During the Cold War, Finland pursued a policy of non-alignment. Sharing a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia, Finland has traditionally chosen not to publicly criticize the Kremlin. The 2022 Ukraine invasion changed Helsinki’s political calculations and led to large increases in defense spending and its entry into NATO in 2023. Finland also announced the closure of its border with Russia after repeated groups of illegal migrants were transported to the border by Russian border guards and ushered into Finnish territory.
Stubb and Finland have been strong allies of Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Stubb has said the most effective way to help Ukraine defend itself is to provide arms. Stubb, who became Finland’s president in March 2024, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s “victory plan,” which he presented to the U.N., will strengthen resolve among Ukraine’s allies.
Having assumed office in March of this year, this was Stubb’s first visit to New York as president. The rest of the Finnish delegation included Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio.
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