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“Putin Is a Strategic Fool and a Military Failure — He Just Doubled NATO’s Border,” Says Finnish President
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has described Vladimir Putin as “a strategic fool and a military failure,” citing the Russian leader’s miscalculations in Ukraine and the geopolitical consequences that followed.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald on July 12, Stubb spoke from his official summer residence near the resort town of Naantali, Stubb outlined Finland’s evolving security posture in the face of Russian military expansion along their shared 1340-kilometer border.
He also warned that, despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russia is unlikely to return to a peaceful democratic state, and its military buildup will continue.
“They will not revert into a peaceful liberal democracy. And second, they will continue a military build-up,” said Stubb.
Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland ended decades of military non-alignment and joined NATO, prompting threats of reprisal from Moscow. Since then, satellite imagery has revealed Russian infrastructure developments along the Finnish border, including airfields, vehicle storage, and troop housing.
To reinforce its own defenses, Finland has withdrawn from the Ottawa Convention banning landmines and announced plans, together with Lithuania, to begin domestic landmine production. A 200-kilometer security fence is under construction along the southeastern border.
“We can observe, we see the movement of the soldiers, we see the build-up of the infrastructure. It’s normal. We did the same,” said Stubb, noting Finland’s longstanding policy of military readiness.
Finland’s military includes the largest artillery force in Europe (alongside Poland), over 60 F/A-18 fighter jets, and newly acquired F-35s. It has committed to spending 2.5% of GDP on defense and intends to meet NATO’s new 5% target over 10 years—3.5% for conventional forces and 1.5% for security infrastructure.
“There’s a reason why we have over 60 F-18s. We just bought 64 F-35s. There’s a reason why we have long-range missiles, air, land and sea. And there’s a reason why we have the biggest artillery in Europe, with Poland. And the reason is not Sweden,” he added.
Stubb also emphasized Finland’s civilian readiness under its “comprehensive security” approach. The country maintains food and energy reserves and has underground shelters for 4.4 million of its 5.6 million citizens. Coordination between government and private industry ensures continuity in times of crisis.
“You fight wars on the military front, but you win wars at home,” said Stubb.
Stubb has also emerged as a rare foreign leader who maintains a working relationship with Donald Trump. In March, the two played golf in Florida, followed by another meeting during Pope Francis’s funeral.
Stubb has not revealed the content of those discussions but noted, “I can describe to him the pulse of Europe on Russia. I can describe to him our experience with Russia because we have 1340 kilometres of border with Russia.”
The New York Times reported that Trump’s rhetoric on Russia hardened following meetings with Stubb. While not confirming a direct influence, Stubb acknowledged: “I’m probably a conversational partner.”
Asked whether NATO remains reliable under US leadership, Stubb responded: “I rely on America… Not anywhere have I heard the US withdrawing from NATO.”
At the recent NATO summit, the alliance agreed to raise defense spending targets, a move Stubb attributes in part to Trump: “We just had a historic NATO summit where we agreed to increase our defense expenditure from 2 per cent to 5 per cent [of GDP] and Trump should be given credit for that.”
Regarding Russia’s place in this equation, Stubb calls it a “vassal state” of Beijing, saying, “They are, right now, allies of interest, but China could drop Russia at the snap of its fingers if it so desires.”
Reflecting on Finland’s own history, Stubb notes that the country has endured over 30 conflicts with Russia since the 1300s. For him, preparedness is not a choice but a necessity.
“Can you imagine us being outside of NATO? It would be like being naked, outdoors, in minus 20 degrees. It would not be comfortable.”
Earlier, US President Donald Trump criticized Vladimir Putin, saying, “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin,” and confirmed he is seriously considering new sanctions against Russia, including a 500% tariff on countries still trading with Moscow.
