The turn of the year gives us an opportunity to pause. To reflect what we have done or left undone. To look back on where we succeeded and where we could have done better.
In my New Year’s speech last year, I noted that we don’t need to worry, we are doing fine, and we will build ourselves a good future.
During the past year, I have met a lot of great people around Finland, ranging from children and young people to the elderly. I visited schools, universities, companies, market places, barracks and nursing homes, to name but a few places.
These visits reinforced my belief that we are doing fine. And that, this year, we will do even better.
Each one of us can influence this through our own actions. The contribution of everyone counts. Yours. Mine. Ours.
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We have many reasons to feel proud of Finland and our identity. Many see us as an exemplary country. We have an open, democratic and functional society.
Our quality of life is comparatively high. Our education is world-class. Many wish to learn from our security of supply. Our comprehensive security is widely admired. Our authorities are working together efficiently, as we have also seen in recent days. Our defence forces are respected.
All of this rests on our sense of community. Education, justice, equality, freedom and respect for our fellow citizens are integral to what it means to be Finnish. We are reliable and fair.
We Finns are good at setting goals for ourselves and working hard to achieve them. I propose that we set three goals for ourselves this year – peace, growth and caring.
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The first goal is peace.
Local and regional conflicts across the globe are on the rise. We Finns are builders of peace. Our contribution is needed.
In this past year, Finland exercised influence well beyond its size.
We held onto our values and interests. We helped shape the transformation taking place in the world. We worked towards international cooperation and peace.
Our goal was to maximise Finland’s influence around the world, especially in matters that are important to us, such as justice, democracy and freedom.
The main focus has been on supporting Ukraine, on our allies, and on global partnerships.
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For nearly four years now, Russia has been waging a war of aggression in Ukraine. Its actions are illegal and immoral.
As a result of the war, more than one million people have died or been injured.
Over the past year, we have worked tirelessly towards peace together with Ukraine and our allies. Now, we are closer to peace than at any previous point during the war. At the same time, we cannot be certain that Russia is ready for peace.
Peace is often a compromise. We must be prepared to accept that there may be parts of an eventual peace agreement that do not align with our sense of justice.
However, we will do everything in our power to ensure that the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine will be preserved. Ukraine is part of a free and democratic Europe. Now and in the future.
We will continue our support for Ukraine. We will keep looking for a solution. Together with our allies, we will make sure that Russia will never again attack one of its neighbours.
Our relations with Russia have changed permanently. What remains unchanged is that Russia is our neighbour. Both Finland and Europe aim to have functioning and peaceful relations with Russia. But, ultimately, it all depends on Russia’s actions.
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Foreign policy is never simply black and white; it involves many shades of grey. Finland’s interests call on us to see the world as it is, not only as we would like it to be.
This means we have to be honest with ourselves. Finland’s diplomacy is not based on moral posturing or identity politics. It is based on values, interests and actions. An active foreign policy and sensible solutions increase Finland’s influence.
Finland’s and Europe’s relations with the United States are in a state of transition. We must get used to this new situation. Cooperation is indispensable to both sides. Examples of this from the past year include the icebreaker deals, defence cooperation and peace talks in Ukraine.
At the same time, we must acknowledge that we do not always see eye to eye with the United States. It is in Finland’s and Europe’s best interests that we strengthen international rules and institutions, and advance efforts to combat climate change.
Finland’s closest friends are in the Nordic countries and Europe. Nordic cooperation must be strengthened. European cooperation further deepened. Why? Because both involve Finland’s values and interests. Finland’s security is based on a strong defence and NATO and EU membership.
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It is often said that Europe has been overly reliant on Russian energy, American security and the Chinese economy. This statement is not far from the truth.
Europe must take more responsibility for its own future. But at the same time, we must acknowledge that major global challenges will not be solved only between Europeans or like-minded people.
We should see cooperation reaching beyond our traditional partners as an opportunity. Asian, Middle Eastern and Latin American countries are the drivers of global growth. The role of Africa is increasingly important.
Like us, many of these countries agree that multilateralism and joint rules provide us with the most effective way to find shared solutions to shared problems. They are ready to defend and develop peaceful solutions and the rules-based international order.
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Our second goal is growth.
I am worried about the state of the Finnish economy. Geopolitical uncertainty and Russia’s war of aggression appear to be hitting our economy particularly hard.
Responsible finances require continuity beyond any single government. A cycle in which one government cuts and the next spends is unacceptable.
We need a long-term approach. The broad consensus across Parliament on the debt brake stands as an example of responsible decision-making that helps build trust in the economy.
Growth lays the foundation for our entire welfare society. Without growth, there is no welfare. We have all the building blocks we need to ensure sustainable growth. There are many paths forward. All of them are built on competence, research and education. We need to step up our investment in these areas.
Yesterday’s growth will not benefit our tomorrow. Growth requires courage and hard work. We must fuel innovation and make sure Finland remains an attractive country for new investments and skilled people. As a NATO member, Finland offers a secure environment for investments – today and in the future.
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Advances in technology affect everything. Thankfully, we have expertise in this area. Our strengths include information networks, quantum technology and critical minerals. These lie at the heart of the technological revolution: artificial intelligence.
We must also ensure the conditions for growth in other sectors. We have a high number of excellent startups. We must do everything it takes to make sure these companies stay in Finland.
Exports are among the key drivers of growth in our economy. Geopolitical turmoil affects our economy. Protectionism and tariffs are detrimental to us, but fortunately, we are members of the EU. That brings stability to our economy and helps us manage our strategic dependencies.
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When we joined the EU some 30 years ago, the assumption was that markets would drive all development. These days, however, states sometimes need to step in to help open global markets. As the President of the Republic, I will continue to promote Finnish exports around the world.
It is also clear, given our current demographic trend and age structure, that we need more work-based immigration. The key question is how we, as a society, manage to adapt to this new reality.
With the world in turmoil, efforts to combat climate change risk being relegated to the background. This must not happen. Climate change is an existential issue. The countries that take climate change seriously are the ones that will gain a competitive advantage. Finland must keep investing in green growth.
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Our third goal is caring.
Amidst all this uncertainty, it is always worth taking a moment to return to the fundamentals. Based on nearly all indicators, Finland remains one of the best countries in the world. We are the happiest nation in the world.
At the same time, we must recognise that not all Finns are doing well.
Often, it is a question of fundamental needs not being met. People are experiencing financial difficulties. Unemployment. Insecurity. Health issues. Domestic violence. Racism. We must do better.
Society has a duty to support those who, for one reason or another, struggle to find their place in it. As fellow citizens, we have the responsibility to care, to help those who need it.
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We care by showing appreciation for our coworkers, our students, our teachers, our loved ones. Being appreciated makes us feel seen, it is something we all need. At times, caring also calls for sacrifices, putting our own needs aside.
At a time when the world around us feels increasingly serious, we must be able to find things that give us joy; otherwise, we will grow cynical and wilt away. Often, we find this joy in friends and coworkers, and in learning new things.
We must balance hard realities with imagination and culture. Many beautiful things and major discoveries first began with the human ability to imagine.
Combining effort and learning with imagination and the joy of creating often proves fruitful. The result is something we could not have anticipated. Such moments of insight are the spice of life. It is all about finding a balance.
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Society is an ongoing project. Democracy is something we must uphold every single day. Welfare is not something that happens on its own. We must all work for it, individuals and society alike.
It is true that there are crises around the world and uncertainty also in Europe, but now is not the time for us to turn inward.
We have everything we need to succeed. Finland is the best country in the world to raise children. Let us be proud of our Finnish identity, the fact that we get to live in an independent and free country.
We are a small, resilient, northern nation. We must keep our feet on the ground but hold our heads high, eyes turned towards the beautiful blue Finnish sky.
Together, we will make this the year of peace, growth and caring.
On behalf of myself and Suzanne, I want to wish you all a happy and meaningful New Year.
Thank you and God bless you.
