Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Finnish President Alexander Stubb Hold Press Conference

Joint Stance on Peace and Sovereignty

• 💡 Finnish President Stubb emphasized the choice between spheres of influence (Yalta) and equal rights (Helsinki), stressing that Yalta is Ukrainian and international law principles like independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.
• 🎯 Both presidents affirmed that Ukraine wants peace, and Russia must demonstrate a genuine desire for peace by accepting an unconditional ceasefire.
• 🔑 Ukraine has already accepted a ceasefire without conditions, while Russia's refusal necessitates increased efforts to strengthen Ukraine and pressure Russia to negotiate.

Finnish Support for Ukraine

• 🤝 Finland provides strong support to Ukraine, including over 100 million euros in private donations and assistance from Finnish defense and tech industries.
• 🚀 Finland will continue its support, including a new defense package and a 660 million euro decision for purchasing Finnish defense materials for Ukraine.
• 💡 Finland's experience in civilian protection and shelter construction is valuable, leading to a new Civil Protection Coalition to help Ukraine.

Ukraine's Defense and Security Needs

• 🛡️ President Zelenskyy highlighted the critical need for defensive support and air defense to protect Ukrainian cities and people from Russian attacks.
• ⚠️ He noted that Putin's words about ceasing attacks on energy infrastructure were false, as strikes continued, hitting hospitals and civilian sites.
• 🏭 Ukraine is increasing its defense industry capabilities, especially drone production, and seeks investments to boost European defense capacity.

Path to Lasting Peace and Integration

• ✅ Security guarantees are crucial to prevent future wars, requiring global efforts with the US and Europe to stop Putin.
• 🇪🇺 Ukraine's integration into the European Union and NATO is a vital security element, with Ukraine's army being one of the strongest globally.
• 🚫 Ukraine's red lines in negotiations include never recognizing temporarily occupied territories as Russian and maintaining its independence and sovereignty.

Diplomatic Engagements and Russian Demands

• 📞 President Zelenskyy will have a direct call with President Trump to discuss details of the ceasefire and next steps, following a productive meeting between their teams.
• ❌ Both leaders rejected Russian demands to stop military aid and intelligence sharing, viewing them as unacceptable and aimed at weakening Ukraine's defense.
• 🤝 A technical team will attend a meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss partial ceasefires for energy infrastructure and shipping safety.