Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has warned that Russia is deliberately seeking an escalation in Europe, citing Tuesday night's drone strikes in Poland.
President Stubb was speaking after meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday, as he and his wife Suzanne Innes-Stubb are on an official state visit to the Ukrainian capital.
"Russia wanted to see how far the West is willing to go," Stubb said. "Now the Zapad military exercise is starting, and we are monitoring it very closely. We are ready to respond."
The Zapad exercise is a Russian-Belarusian joint strategic military drill, set to be held in Belarus on 12–16 September 2025.
"The line has already been crossed, and in such a large exercise [as Zapad] it’s easy to cross it again," Stubb said, adding that "the line between war and peace has been blurred".
Zelensky meanwhile compared the incident in Poland to the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
"Back then, little green men appeared and the West did not react. Now, the drones have come," he said.
The two leaders spoke to reporters after a one-hour-long bilateral meeting.
Stubb noted to the press that Russia’s attack has not achieved its objectives — having captured only about one percent of Ukraine despite over one thousand days of war.
"Ukraine wants peace, Russia does not. That’s why Ukraine’s EU membership is important. Ukraine is a European country, even if not all EU member states support this," Stubb said.
Both Zelensky and Stubb emphasised the close relationship between their two nations, with the Finnish president saying he has been in contact with his Ukrainian counterpart on an almost daily basis.
"I’ve spent more time with Volodymyr than with my own wife," he joked.
Zelensky also conferred on President Stubb Ukraine's highest honor.
"My friend Alex, thank you for being with us," Zelensky said.
Separately, Suzanne Innes-Stubb spent the day with Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska, with their itinerary including a visit to a school which was hit by a Russian air strike last spring.
