NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
INTERMEDIATE: Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said Ukraine has gained new leverage against Russia, saying Moscow’s renewed talk of talks comes as Kyiv has strengthened itself militarily, politically and diplomatically.
Valtonen’s comments carry some weight because Finland is one of the newest members of NATO and is now on the longest border of the alliance with Russia. Finland joined NATO in April 2023 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, ending decades of military conflict and turning the country into a leading country in Europe’s security situation.
“Ukraine really now holds the cards,” Valtonen told Fox News Digital on Monday in an interview at the United Nations headquarters in New York. “They have strengthened themselves a lot in the last three, four months, militarily and politically, in terms of communication. And I think this opens a good opportunity to advance the peace talks.”
UKRAINE BENEFITS BIG IN YEARS AS RUSSIA SPEAKS, USES TOOLS AT KREMLIN’S ORDER
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen at the United Nations headquarters in New York, June 8, 2026. (Efrat Lachter/Fox News Digital)
His assessment comes as Reuters reported that Ukraine’s top military commander said Ukrainian forces had retaken more than 600 square kilometers, or about 230 square miles, by 2026, a turnaround after years of slow Russian gains. It also follows renewed diplomatic activity, including Zelenskyy’s willingness to stop fighting in the current form as a means of negotiations and Putin’s public refusal to hold a direct meeting for the time being.
Finland shares an approximately 820-mile border with Russia, making it one of the alliance’s most strategically exposed members.
Valtonen said Moscow had shown little willingness to make a deal and said responsibility for ending the war rested with the Kremlin.
“Until now, Russia has not been willing to make a deal, and in fact Russia can end the war today if they want, because it was their war from the beginning,” he said. “So I’m hoping that this would be the right time to restart those discussions.”
Peace efforts have stalled over the same divisions that have fueled the war for years: Ukraine has called for a ceasefire and talks without ceding territory, while Russia has continued to seek control of Ukrainian regions. Putin said in early June that there was “no point” in meeting Zelenskyy at the moment and reiterated Moscow’s broader military goals.
Asked about US-led efforts to negotiate an end to the war, Valtonen praised Washington’s role but insisted that Ukraine alone must decide whether to accept any concession, including territory.
“I think that the involvement of the US in this whole process has been very good, and it is important that the US remains involved, because at the end of the day, it is about freedom, the future not only of Europe, but also of the peace of the whole world,” he said.
ZELENSKY SAYS WE WILL ENSURE UKRAINE’S SECURITY ONLY IF KYIV AGREES TO EAT DONBAS
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte prepare to leave after a group photo at the White House in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025. (Wina McNamee/Getty Images)
Valtonen said that Europe also needs to be a part of this plan because the Russian war directly affects the construction of security in this continent.
He said any serious talks would require Russia to accept a complete moratorium.
“First, we will need Russia at the table willing to end the war,” Valtonen said. “And that will need to be completely eliminated, because that’s the only way to open the door to real negotiations.”
Valtonen also praised President Donald Trump for pressuring European allies to increase defense spending, saying the pressure had moved the continent in the right direction after years of inequality within NATO.
Finland has moved aggressively to increase defense spending. Helsinki plans to increase defense spending to 3.2% of GDP by 2030, from 2.5% by 2025, Reuters reported in April.
WHY NATO’S DEFENSE HAS BEEN UNBALANCED FOR DECADES
Senior border guard officer Juho Pellinen looks at the fence marking the border between Finland and Russia near the Pelkola border crossing in Imatra, Finland, on November 18, 2022. (Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also praised Finland and Sweden on Tuesday during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, saying the two new NATO members have strengthened the alliance by bringing their “defense industry” and “advanced technology.”
He called them a “great partner” and an “extraordinary partner.”
Valtonen said Finland’s approach was shaped by its history with Moscow.
“It is clear that Finland has taken the threat of Russia seriously because we have the longest border,” he said. “Of course we worship our status as the happiest country in the world, namely democracy, law and human rights, which we consider important to anything Russia can offer.”
He referred to what happened in Finland in World War II, when the Soviet Union invaded Finland, as a reminder of why deterrence is important.
“The last time the Soviet Union, that is Russia, tried to attack us was during the Second World War,” Valtonen said. “The good thing is that we were able to protect them, but at a great cost to the community.”
“For us, it has become clear that if we invest in our deterrence, that is a signal to Russia – don’t come here,” he added.
In Iran, Valtonen said that the comments of Finnish President Alexander Stubb in March, reported by The Guardian, that the conflict is not a matter for NATO should not be understood as Europe washing its hands of the problem.
“I don’t think our president meant that this has nothing to do with European countries or NATO allies,” said Valtonen. “I think what he probably meant was that NATO is obviously not directly involved as an organization, which is true.”
EX-NATO AMBASSADOR WARNS WE AND ALLIES MUST ‘STOP BEING MANAGED’ AND WORK TOGETHER TO END THE CONFLICT IN IRAN.
Swedish soldiers take part in the Aurora 23 military training at the Berga military base outside Stockholm on April 28, 2023. A committee of the Swedish Parliament recommended on April 26, 2024, that Sweden increase its military budget by about 5 billion dollars by 2030 to strengthen air defense and increase recruitment after joining NATO. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency)
His comments come after another weekend escalation in the Iran war, with Tehran firing missiles at Israel and Israel shelling western and central Iran overnight. The outbreak comes as the US and its allies continue efforts to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear state and keep Tehran from threatening Israel and regional shipping.
The Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important strategic location, has become a priority for Western governments in the wake of Iranian threats and maritime restrictions. Reuters reported on Monday that the European Union has sanctioned individuals linked to Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy over the ship’s threat.
“We as members of Europe have been supporting the American efforts,” said Valtonen. “We don’t want to see Iran as a nuclear state. We know what kind of threat Iran has posed to the region, especially to Israel.”
Valtonen added that Finland has also joined efforts led by France and the United Kingdom to keep the Strait of Hormuz open if conditions allow for safe operations in the area.
“It is very important that such difficulties can be used by any country in the world,” said Valtonen.
When asked if European countries rejected American requests to use bases during the Iran crisis, Valtonen said that Finland does not have US bases to close but said that most of the European allies supported Washington’s requests.
“Finland has been helping the US in many ways,” he said. “We don’t have US bases in Finland, so there’s nothing we can close.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
Finnish Army Commander Lieutenant General Pasi Valimaki speaks to Finnish military recruits after a military exercise at the Pori Brigade in Niinisalo, Finland, Dec. 9, 2025. (Anne Kauranen/Reuters)
“But having said this, most of the European countries have agreed to everything that the US has asked for in the last few months while the war is still going on, except that, of course, we are not directly involved as countries in the war,” he added.
Valtonen said the support showed the willingness of NATO allies to help Washington even if the alliance itself is not officially involved.
“I think that really shows the cooperation of the NATO allies in this and our willingness to help when the US really needs help,” he said.
