In the Same Boat

Finns often ask whether people in Estonia fear the threat of a Russian attack. Are Estonians afraid that Russia might occupy Estonia again?

The same question has also been posed by journalists from major international news agencies.

At times, it seems as if Finns see themselves and their country as outside observers in the midst of European crises. If there is fear in Europe, it should be a collective feeling. We are all in the same boat. Joining NATO on 4 April 2023 completely changed the situation for Finland. Estonia, after all, joined the alliance 20 years earlier.

After joining, Finland no longer belonged to the Soviet or Russian sphere of influence. The era of the YYA—Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance—was definitively over. If Estonia were to become a target of Russian aggression, Finland would inevitably and immediately be part of the conflict as well.

NATO does not defend Finland alone. Finland is also committed to defending all its allies if they are attacked, just as all other NATO countries do. This is what Article 5, signed by all NATO members, means.

This is NATO’s strength. The combined military power and economic might of member states is enormous. Russia has a population of around 140 million. NATO countries have a total population of at least 950 million. Even without counting the United States, the European NATO countries and Canada have about 600 million people.

Economically, Russia is a dwarf compared to NATO. Russia’s GDP is smaller than Italy’s. The combined GDP of European NATO countries in 2025 was around 22 trillion dollars. Russia’s GDP was only a tenth of that—2.1 trillion dollars.

Russia’s autocratic leader, Vladimir Putin, wants to restore the Soviet-era borders and influence for Russia. But can Putin achieve this? Only and exclusively if Europe and NATO are not united.

How could Russia fight well-trained and coordinated NATO forces when it has failed to defeat the outdatedly led and poorly equipped Ukrainian army? The war of attrition in Ukraine has already lasted four years.

It has been embarrassing to watch how Europe has been sidelined in negotiations concerning Ukraine and Europe’s future. Russia and the United States see Europe as a weak link that can be bypassed. Europe has not been strong enough to take its rightful place.

Europe and Europeans must be proud of their history, culture, democracy, as well as their military and economic power—and they must dare to show that pride.

Russia’s only trump card is its nuclear weapons. Without its nuclear arsenal, Russia is a paper tiger that no one needs to fear.

Hüttünen

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Europe European politics Military NATO politics Russia Ukraine