Finland’s incoming president warns Ukraine would fail to exist without Western support

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) - Finland's incoming president called on European nations Sunday to continue supporting Ukraine both economically and militarily, warning them that failing to do so could threaten its existence.

"If the West had failed to support Ukraine, it would no longer exist,” said Alexander Stubb during the Munich Security Conference in Germany, according to the Finnish National Broadcasting Company (YLE).

"The only thing that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin understands is power. You show any weakness — any soft elements — and he will attack," he added.

Stubb stressed that Moscow must be held accountable for the war in Ukraine and the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died at a remote Arctic penal colony on Friday, while at the same time admitting that it would be difficult to achieve accountability, Yle reported.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the accusations against Russia "self-exposing" while reminding Western leaders that there has been no forensic examination yet.

Stubb, who previously served at Finland's prime minister and finance minister and is a pro-European and strong supporter of Ukraine, will be replacing incumbent Sauli Niinisto in March, known for his role in maintaining close ties with Russia.

The high-stakes Finnish presidential election held last Sunday was widely seen as historically the most important following Finland’s entry into NATO last April and the Nordic country’s strong stance against Russia.

The Nordic country's accession into NATO drew military threats from the Kremlin, with Putin accusing the West of “dragging” Finland into the military alliance and creating a rift between Moscow and Helsinki.

In December, Finland closed its border with Russia, with Finnish authorities accusing Moscow of carrying out a "hybrid attack" by assisting undocumented migrants in crossing into the Nordic country, which Russia denied.

The Munich Security Conference marked Stubb's first public remarks since winning the presidential election.