President Sauli Niinistö recording the traditions New Year’s eve speech in the Presidential Palace on December 31st. LETHIKUVA
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My fellow citizens
At the turn of the year, we usually wish each other peaceful and happy days to come. Today, those wishes are more emotionally charged than before: things must get better.
Grim news and forecasts have taken up more and more space. They should be discussed openly. But, meanwhile, we easily miss the signals – maybe weak ones – of a better future.
As far as the global future is concerned, I see two fateful questions that dominate the scene.
Climate change touches each and every one of us and is leading us towards unpredictable consequences. The latest Climate Change Conference in Dubai, however, created a glimmer of hope: the world leaders acknowledged for the first time the need to move away from fossil fuels.
Reaching a shared understanding is in itself significant. That is something sorely needed in many issues.
The other major question concerns the global division and the relationship between China and the United States in particular. The mere fact that the presidents of the two nations met after a long while was significant as such. It also gave both parties an opportunity to map attitudes and positions.
The steps taken in these meetings were important, but only deeds will tell whether they were big for the humanity.
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The new year does not augur well for peace everywhere in the world.
In Ukraine, the front line remains almost unchanged, but the war is in motion. It is being fought on the battlefields where every day claims new lives. And even civilian population is not safe in any way.
The war is raising its head and evoking emotions in other parts of the world as well. The situation in Gaza is terrifying. First the evil of terrorism showed its cruellest face. Then, it was responded to with very harsh measures. The worst is the suffering and distress of civilians on both sides of the conflict. It is now urgent to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire and the release of hostages. After that, it is imperative to find the will and means towards a lasting two-state solution. There is no other alternative.
Wars do not happen in a vacuum. Chaos in one part of the world often also stirs up chaos elsewhere.
The past year has continuously brought images of war before our eyes. At the same time, rhetorics have become tougher. We do need to be firm in times like these. But we also need patience and careful analysis. Shifting our gaze further every now and then.
We also need to talk about peace. Promoting peace does not mean weakness, turning the other cheek. Peace is always a victory. A victory for life and normal development. Recognizing the fact that lasting solutions can never be generated by force and violence. And our time is crying out for lasting and sustainable solutions louder than ever.
* * *
Russia is never as strong as she looks; Russia is never as weak as she looks. This phrase, presented in many forms over time, holds a grain of truth.
At first, Russia was supposed to defeat Ukraine within a few weeks. It did not go that way. The bravery shown by the Ukrainians repelled the attack.
Then it was believed that the Russian economy and military capacity would collapse. It did not go that way either. Full-scale war still continues, nearing its second anniversary.
Now Russia is regaining some of her self-esteem.
There have been concerns over the continuation of the assistance given to Ukraine. In my opinion, in this matter it is not so much a question of lack of will or weariness. A more serious issue is ensuring the capacity to provide long-term assistance, availability of sufficient re
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
