Like Sweden, Finland wants to join NATO because of Russia's attack.
Army chief Kivinen now explains this on ZDF.
News ticker on diplomacy in the Ukraine war.
Finnish army chief
in
Ukraine war
: Russia only understands hard power
Discussion
about
national defense
: army chief comments on the Ukraine war
Cooperation
with the
EU
: Volodymyr Zelenskyj wants more speed
Update from March 6, 9:47 a.m
.: Ex-US President Donald Trump demonstrated his popularity with the right-wing base on Saturday (March 4) at the CPAC conservative conference – and showed that he was of the Ukraine aid little lasts.
"We're going to have a third world war if something doesn't happen quickly," the Republican said.
"I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III." Trump threatened an "immediate end" to Ukraine aid if he became US President again and promised to use the money for his Refugee wall "to finish building", reported the
Handelsblatt
from Trump's speech.
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Donald Trump at the CPAC conference in Maryland
© Roberto Schmidt/AFP
Ukraine news: Melnyk comments on Klingbeil and Mützenich's visit to Kiev
Update from March 6, 8:57 a.m
.: SPD leader Lars Klingbeil arrived on Monday (March 6) together with SPD faction leader Rolf Mützenich for a surprise visit to Kiev to hold talks with representatives of the government and parliament – the Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk has called on the two to follow up their visit with action.
He hopes that Klingbeil will "recognize the need to persuade the federal government to make further courageous decisions, above all to release fighter jets," Melnyk told the dpa news agency.
It is important that the SPD leaders finally visit Ukraine "to see the horrors of Russian aggression with their own eyes".
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SPD party leader Lars Klingbeil (r.) and SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich in a special train to Kiev.
© Fionn Grosse/SPD/dpa
Ukraine news: Melnyk criticizes Mützenich on the subject of arms deliveries
"It remains very questionable whether this will mean that Mr. Mützenich will no longer put the brakes on German arms deliveries," said the former Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin.
In the Ukraine, Mützenich has repeatedly been offended because of his reluctance to deliver arms and his promotion of diplomacy.
So far, neither the SPD nor the federal government have wanted to take part in the discussion about the delivery of fighter jets.
"The debate makes no sense," Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said at the end of February.
However, several NATO countries have shown themselves open to such a step.
NATO enlargement: The growing defense alliance
NATO enlargement: The growing defense alliance
First report from March 6
: Berlin - Finland - like Sweden - wants to become a member of NATO after decades of rejection because of the Ukraine war.
The final decision on admission is still pending.
Finnish army chief in Ukraine war: Russia only understands hard power
In view of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, Finland's army chief Timo Kivinen sees a need for his neutral country to join NATO.
"We don't want to threaten anyone," the general told ZDF's "heute journal" (March 5), but with NATO there is more potential for deterrence.
"Russia obviously only understands hard power." Finland shares a 1,300-kilometer border with Russia.
Discussion about national defense: Army chief comments on the Ukraine war
“In our history we have had several wars with Russia, the Soviet Union.
We all know here that our neighbor is a powerful force.
And we have to be ready to defend our country," Kivinen said.
"In the 1990s we too had a discussion about whether we should dismantle our national defenses like most states in Europe, but we were smart enough not to do that and it's paying off now."
Cooperation with the EU: Volodymyr Zelenskyj wants more speed
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to significantly expand cooperation with the European institutions in the current year.
"The task is to actively prepare everything for our country's membership in the European Union, increase arms supplies to Ukraine and strengthen sanctions against Russia," Zelensky said in his daily video message on March 4.
He also had a meeting with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola.
Selenskyj had recently repeatedly set the pace for accession negotiations with the EU.
(AFP/dpa/frs)
