Finland’s President Alexander Stubb is pictured during a joint press conference after talks with Latvia’s President at the Riga Castle, in Riga on September 16,2025. Finland’s President Stubb is on a two day official to Latvia. Photo: Gints Ivuskans / AFP / Lehtikuva
- Next Article Police suspect homicide after woman falls from Helsinki balcony
Alexander Stubb has condemned Israel’s ground assault on Gaza, calling it a violation of international law and an example of the international community’s failure to prevent escalation, Yle reported.
The Finnish president made the remarks during a joint press conference with Edgars Rinkēvičs, the president of Latvia, at Riga Castle on Tuesday.
“The attack violates international law and norms,” Stubb said, referring to Israel’s latest offensive on Gaza City.
Israel confirmed on Tuesday that its military had launched ground operations in the city, targeting what it described as Hamas positions.
Finland’s government has struggled to form a unified response to Israel’s actions. The four-party coalition has remained divided. Stubb, who oversees foreign policy together with the government under the Finnish constitution, has taken a clearer stance.
In July, Stubb said he would support recognising Palestinian statehood if such a proposal came from the government.
During the press conference, the two presidents also discussed Russia’s war in Ukraine, drone incursions over Poland, and regional security cooperation.
Stubb said it was “highly unlikely” that the Russian drones which entered Polish airspace last week did so by mistake.
“Russia will continue to test the West in one way or another. We must expect the unexpected,” he said.
Rinkēvičs said NATO members must improve drone defence systems.
Stubb said regional defence cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic countries would continue to expand. All eight countries are now NATO members, following Finland’s accession in 2023 and Sweden’s in 2024.
Stubb was in Latvia on a two-day working visit with his wife, Suzanne Innes-Stubb. He also visited the Latvian Occupation Museum, the city of Liepāja, and Riga Stradiņš University, where he met Finnish medical students.
He and Rinkēvičs have known each other since serving as foreign ministers between 2008 and 2011. They attended a basketball match together during the visit.
HT
- Next Article Police suspect homicide after woman falls from Helsinki balcony
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
