Analyse
The Guardian published an interview with President Niinistö on 3 March 2022 in which he said, “We are not part of this conflict, but we are part of Europe. And Europe is under threat.” The quote matches the statement in question. The context was the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Finland’s position as a European, non‑NATO state at the time.
Achtergrond
Finland, while not a NATO member until 2023, is a European Union member and has historically pursued a policy of military non‑alignment. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, many European leaders warned that the war posed a broader security threat to the continent. Niinistö’s comments reflected this perspective.
Samenvatting verdict
President Sauli Niinistö did state that Finland is not part of the Ukraine conflict, but that Europe is under threat, in a March 2022 interview with The Guardian.