Finland defense minister calls for burden sharing on defense and Ukraine, for the sake of European unity

Finland's Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen emphasized the need for all European nations to share the responsibility of defense spending and support for Ukraine. He warned that Russia could exploit political opportunities to challenge European values, highlighting the interconnectedness of Finland's security interests with those of Europe. Hakkanen called for increased financial aid to Ukraine, suggesting a commitment of 0.25% of GDP from EU countries, as current support is insufficient. He stressed that without a unified defense effort, Europe risks chaos and exclusion from critical discussions regarding peace with Russia.