The president of Finland, Alexander Stubb, argued on Monday that, to avoid war, it is necessary to “prepare” for her, while the European Union (EU) debate initiatives to rearm and strengthen her defense in a context marked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“There is a lesson that we have learned during our history and that, to live in peace and avoid war, you have to prepare for it,” Stubb said in a joint press conference in Nairobi with his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto. Stubb made reference to the entrance to his country’s NATO, which became a full -law member of the Alliance in April 2023, something about which the Russian invasion of Ukraine changed Finnish public opinion.
“In Finland, which has a border of 1,340 kilometers with Russia, we felt that it is always good to have friends (…) I think, after Russia and (the Russian president, Vladimir) Putin attack Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Finnish people felt that he had to join an alliance,” explained the Finnish president.
In this context of growing geopolitical tension, the Ministry of Defense of Finland has proposed a bill that seeks to increase the maximum age of reservists to 65 years, as reported by the specialized medium . The measure, which is in the public consultation stage, is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the country’s defensive capacity to possible threats, particularly those from Russia.
The new age limit would apply to all the people subject to military service born in 1966 or later, including officers, non -commissioned officers and satin soldiers. Only the higher officers would be exempt, who will continue in the reservation while they are in a position to serve, as established by the current regulations.
The initiative includes a five -year transition period, during which the number of reservists would increase by approximately 125,000 people, given that those who turn 60 would continue to be summonable for five more years, as explained by the same medium. According to official projections, the Finnish reservation could reach one million troops by 2031.
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