Ex-Finnish president urges EU to adopt proactive crisis management approach

ISTANBUL

Former Finnish President Sauli Niinisto urged the EU on Thursday to abandon temporary crisis solutions and adopt a "proactive approach" to counter increasing threats.

Speaking at a European Parliament session in Brussels focused on enhancing Europe’s civil and defense preparedness, Niinisto presented his report, commissioned by the European Commission, on measures to strengthen the EU's crisis readiness.

Niinisto stressed the pressing need for a unified European security framework, highlighting the dual rise in military threats – at a peak since the Cold War’s end – and growing challenges posed by climate change.

He advocated for a comprehensive crisis preparedness strategy, urging the EU to proactively address diverse crises, including climate disasters, pandemics, cyberattacks, and potential armed threats.

"If we learn one lesson from the recent past, it is that we need to be realistic and clear-eyed about the risks we face," Niinisto stated.

He called on the EU to build resilience in critical infrastructure, essential services, and social cohesion, moving beyond temporary crisis solutions. Emphasizing the need for enhanced intelligence cooperation, Niinisto proposed an intelligence network focused on informed EU-level decision-making, not modeled on agencies like the CIA.

"(Russian President) Vladimir Putin made it clear a long time ago that he sees the West and the Western people as weak. We must change that perception. The cooperative security model that the EU and NATO aspired to after the end of the Cold War was shattered in February 2022," he remarked.

Niinisto also noted that while NATO remains the primary defense framework, Europe should bolster its defense capacity.

After his presentation, European Parliament members expressed varied responses. Liberal and center-right members echoed Niinisto’s concerns, advocating for a crisis preparedness strategy, especially in defense.

Conversely, left-wing members called for prioritizing public over military investment, while far-right members opposed a common EU defense strategy, citing concerns over national sovereignty and potential overlap with NATO.