But there is a granite edge to Finland’s worldview, as became clear in her speech to the Lowy Institute on Friday., in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.A key goal of the Finnish leader’s mission here, accompanied by a substantial industry delegation, is to strengthen economic, technology and security links among democratic countries.
As an EU state concerned about the China-Russia alignment, Finland is now openly interested in the strategic future of the Indo-Pacific.After all, Finland is no stranger to authoritarian aggression. It has decades of coping with Soviet and then Russian campaigns to subvert its independent democracy. It was illuminating. The pandemic was not such a shock for a country – hint, not Australia - with a decades-long habit of stockpiling vast supplies of medicines and other crisis essentials.
Finland can readily mobilise a wartime strength of 280,000 personnel, and in the most extreme circumstances has 900,000 trained reservists, thanks to its uncontroversial system of national service . Like any nation, Finland has its share of problems, and more scars of history than it lets on. These include a civil war in the early 20th century, two terrible wars against the Soviet Union, and the long Cold War compromise of its foreign policy that became known as Finlandisation.Finns will be the first to criticise their own system or acknowledge their history, and often the last to boast about it.
btckr I so enjoyed the clip of her and the NZ prime minister together . No shouting egos, no 'snout in the trough' bellies; like we have been subjected to for years. But even then a male journalist couldn't resist representing his profession so 'ably'. Have had a bit of that also !!
She's not visiting Melbourne? I guess she has a thing against authoritarianism.
Can we put her in our Parliament? please!!!