President Stubb during a panel discussion on European security, WEF-19 in Davos. Source: Flickr, Emmi Syrjäniemi, Office of the President of the Republic, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Perhaps the Board of Peace recently established by President Trump will not become a sort of pocket mini-UN for the outgoing global hegemon, as some experts believe, and will soon take its rightful place in the dustbin of history, according to EU leaders.
Despite the justified skepticism of some experts and politicians regarding the Board’s fate, it should nevertheless be noted that the new body governing global affairs, backed by the political, economic, and military might of the United States, could play a role in resolving at least some pressing regional issues before the end of President Trump’s term.
The scandalous absence from the Board of all Western Arctic Council countries except the United States—Denmark was not invited, Canada’s invitation was withdrawn and the others rather impolitely rejected the initiative—could create an entirely new framework for governing Arctic affairs, in which all pressing issues could be resolved by a duumvirate of the United States and Russia.
The de facto deactivation of the Arctic Council by its Western members since the beginning of 2022, and the complete disregard for Russia’s interests by Canada and the Council’s European members, has led to accumulation of unresolved, urgent problems. Clearly, decision-making will be easier for the Council’s two most powerful members than for the broader Arctic Council membership, which ignores its obligations.
Finland More Cautious
Finland has still not directly stated that it does not intend to participate in Trump’s Board of Peace. Yle asked the Office of the President of the Republic whether Finland has made a decision.
The Office of the President’s response shows that Finland’s line is the same as Sweden and Norway, which have announced that they will not join the Board of Peace established by Trump.
However, the matter has not been made public in Finland as directly as, for example, Norway, Sweden and the first to refuse, France, have done.
US President Donald Trump invited heads of state to participate in the Gaza Board of Peace. When the founding document of the Board was signed in Davos last week, there were about twenty heads of state as signatories. Hungary and Bulgaria joined from the European Union countries.
According to news agency reports, a three-year membership would cost just under a billion dollars.
When France refused, Trump threatened France with tariffs.
Norway and Sweden, for example, also said they would not participate.
“We are discussing this with other EU countries, but as the text stands now, Sweden will not sign,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in Davos, SVT reported.
“The US proposal raises several questions that require further discussion with the US. Therefore, Norway will not join the Board of Peace and will not participate in the signing ceremony in Davos,” Kristoffer Thoner, the Norwegian Prime Minister’s State Secretary, wrote, according to NRK.
”We Will Familiarize Ourselves with the Invitation”
President Alexander Stubb said last week that Finland would review the invitation together with allies and friends and would not draw hasty conclusions. In an interview with Yle, Stubb also said that in the current form of the Board, participation seems very challenging.
However, Finland’s solution remained up in the air. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo also said that the invitation would be reviewed in peace.
Yle asked the Office of the President of the Republic on January 26 how Finland had responded to the request to participate in Trump’s Board of Peace.
“The invitation has come and we are looking into it,” the Office of the President replied.
Yle then asked whether Finland had communicated to the United States that it would not participate for the time being, and how Finland’s solution differs from that of Norway and Sweden.
“Finland’s solution does not differ from that of Sweden and Norway. Finland did not participate in the signing ceremony of the Board of Peace in Davos either,” the Office replied on January 27.
According to Yle’s information, Finland has outlined its solution together with Sweden and Norway.
However, Finland has not publicly said directly that it will stay aside.
Finland has been cautious in its words towards the United States and especially President Trump. Both Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and President Stubb have made it clear that it is not advisable to publicly question US policy.
The Office also responds that the Board of Peace is an international organization, which in Finland would require a proposal from the government and approval from Parliament. According to the Office, the Board’s governance model raises questions, and Finland is discussing these with European countries and the US administration.
“As the President of the Republic said in Davos last week, Finland follows a pan-European line regarding the Board of Peace.”
Finland and many European countries have emphasized that the peace solution in Gaza should be created in accordance with a UN decision. The decision was made in November based on a draft by the US.
Based on: Yle (in Finnish)
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