Why is Somalia unwilling to meet Finland’s conditions for continuing development cooperation?

Finland suspended its development cooperation with Somalia last November. At that time, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Ville Tavio (Finns Party), made it a condition that Somalia must begin taking back its citizens who are residing illegally in Finland and/or who have committed crimes. The minister did not specify in more detail what kind of change would be sufficient for cooperation to resume.

According to media reports, however, Tavio has suggested that one condition for development aid would be the return of one hundred Somalis to Somalia, although this has not been officially recorded. Last Monday, the minister reiterated that development aid to Somalia will remain suspended, since the repatriations of Somalis have not progressed as hoped.

Some progress has nevertheless been made, as Somalia had previously refused altogether to accept any of its citizens deported from Finland. Since the suspension of development cooperation, Finland has returned 11 Somali citizens, three of whom went back voluntarily.

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In Somalia, the government has expressed a desire to refuse compliance with Finland’s demand to take back its citizens, showing irritation and describing Finland’s conditions as blackmail. The background is thought to lie in the fact that Somalis do not want to receive back citizens deported from abroad, some of whom have committed crimes.

This year, the Finnish Immigration Service has issued only 128 removal decisions for Somalis, meaning the number of people to be returned is not particularly large. Nevertheless, Somalia has accepted less than ten percent of the citizens who were intended to be sent back.

If the pace does not improve, it means that Finland will not spend the roughly nine million euros earmarked this year for cooperation with Somalia. That money was intended to support the improvement of the status of girls and women in difficult situations in Somalia.

That is why I, at least, cannot help but wonder whether Somali politicians’ reluctance stems more from the goals of the development cooperation itself than from the potential problems caused by Somalis who are to be returned. Hopefully, of course, I am wrong about this, and the Somali government does—in contrast to the suspicion that crossed my mind—have a genuine desire to improve the position of women in the country.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A New Beginning: Economic Independence in the Hands of Developing Nations
Finland Suspends Development Cooperation with Somalia
Could Kenyans serve as a model for Somalis and Iraqis?

Questionable Achievements of Donald Trump's Foreign Policy

Donald Trump's foreign policy has led to questionable achievements. One of them relates to Finland: according to a survey conducted by the country's largest newspaper, nearly half of Finns do not believe that the U.S. would defend Finland in the event of a Russian attack.

This is despite the fact that Finland is a member of NATO and has a bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement with the U.S., both of which obligate Trump to act in a real-life situation. Additionally, Finland has met NATO's requirement of allocating more than two percent of its GDP to defense spending.

Moreover, American troops have actively trained in winter warfare in Finland. For instance, during the recently concluded Arctic Forge exercise, Lieutenant Colonel Dan Ludwig, who led the American soldiers, stated that the exercise had improved his troops' Arctic combat readiness to such an extent that it would be great to continue training in Finnish Lapland in the future.

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Given that NATO allies' faith in the U.S.'s adherence to agreements in a crisis situation has weakened in this manner, one can only hope that Trump's foreign policy regarding Ukraine proves effective. In other words, that the war would end with a peace that Ukrainians can genuinely accept, and that the Russians would not be left with the impression that they could gain any advantages through aggression against neighboring countries.

At this very moment, it is clear that Putin is not yielding to Trump's will. Therefore, the U.S. president should make the Russian counterpart an offer he cannot refuse.

After all, he previously made such an offer to Ukraine, which understood the situation and complied with Trump's conditions. It would be truly strange if the U.S. demanded greater submission from a friendly nation like Ukraine than from an openly hostile and imperialistic Russia.

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Just a while ago, President Trump wrote on social media: "We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!"

This does not sound very promising to me. Therefore, I regret to point out that failure in dealing with Russia would fuel suspicions that President Putin somehow possesses the means to force his American counterpart to prioritize Russia's interests in all actions. This is a message no one would want to hear — at least not outside Russia and its satellite states.

Postscript: "The White House has just announced that Trump did not speak with Putin yesterday."

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland's Stance on NATO Defense Spending Is Linked to the Geopolitical Threat from Russia
Now It's Putin's Turn to Show His Hand
Trump's Indecision Benefits Putin – Deadly Consequences for Ukraine

Donald Trump’s Reliability as an Ally Has Proven to Be Questionable

According to Financial Times, the U.S. will stop providing Ukraine with intelligence support. This comes at a time when the Ukrainian Army is once again gaining the upper hand in the war against Russia. Meanwhile, Ukraine has just expressed gratitude to Trump and announced that it will sign a mineral agreement.

This strongly supports the idea that the Russian government has some means of blackmailing Trump. Whether it’s compromising erotic video material or something else—I don’t know—but either way, Trump's position as Vladimir Putin’s pocket rat seems increasingly obvious.

That’s why Ukrainians and Europeans must now, at the very latest, ask whether there is any motivation behind Trump’s actions other than attempting to influence the war in a way that allows Putin to get what he wants—ultimately leading to Ukraine losing its independence. Or at the very least, turning into a Russian puppet state like Belarus.

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Many Finns would prefer that we refrain from criticizing Trump’s actions, while many others would like us to return to the era of Finlandization, when Finns did everything they could to avoid provoking the eastern superpower.

However, the Finnish government has taken a clear stance: we aim to support Ukraine in its war. The reasons for this are both the moral obligation to stand by a country that has been subjected to an illegal invasion and the fear that a Russian victory in Ukraine could lead to an attack on other neighboring states—including Finland.

Of course, Finland’s NATO membership alleviates some of this fear, as it ensures U.S. and other allies’ support in the event of an attack. But if the U.S. government is in Putin’s pocket, the situation looks entirely different. In that case, can Finland truly rely on U.S. assistance when it matters most?

In this regard, there is one crucial point that not all Finns have grasped: Russia is not actually competing with the U.S. for global dominance—China is. It may be that Trump wants to get the Ukraine issue off his hands as quickly as possible to focus on China, even if he isn’t directly controlled by Putin.

For Finland, this means that the only even somewhat reliable support against Russia will come from Europe—especially the Nordic countries—whose military capabilities, however, have been allowed to deteriorate almost completely. That is why Finland must be highly proactive in pushing for European rearmament. And fortunately, the Finnish government has recently been doing exactly that.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:

Donald Trump Has Unleashed a Dangerous Development
Too Many Finns Share Trump’s Inability to Comprehend
Europe Needs Leadership and Urgent Defense Actions

Trump’s America: Criminal or Benefactor?

The American Republican Senator Lindsey Graham raised the question of why Ukrainians should consider allowing Americans access to their natural resources. According to him, "a mineral agreement would secure American business interests. Putin does not understand what will happen if the agreement is signed. He is in trouble because Trump supports the deal—he defends the interests of the USA."

In other words, in its difficult situation, Ukraine could trade its mineral resources for the United States’ commitment to defending the country against the Russians now and in the future. The idea is undeniably interesting.

On the other hand, the idea can also be interpreted—and this is the general perception in Europe—as the Trump administration blackmailing Ukraine into giving up its natural resources in exchange for American support. Put differently, this would mean acting according to the principles of organized crime.

In fact, I feel that both interpretations reflect reality. That is, the Trump administration is indeed pressuring the Ukrainians, but at the same time, it sincerely believes that the U.S. has no obligation to sacrifice its resources—let alone its soldiers—to save a European state without receiving something in return.

Which side weighs more heavily in Trump's thinking remains known only to him. However, Europeans should take a hard look in the mirror and recognize that they—yes, they, basking in their own self-righteousness—have neglected their own defense. As a result, in 2014 and 2022, they were too weak to act as a deterrent against Vladimir Putin’s power politics—and even weaker in turning the war in Ukraine’s favor.

In practical terms, this means that European security policy must be completely rethought. Instead of EU countries trying to shirk their NATO expenses, they must now take the lead in demanding strict compliance. At the same time, they must ensure that each state increases its military capabilities to meet the requirements necessary to keep Putin and future Russian dictators in check.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Europe Needs More Money—and More Will—to Defend Itself
Finland Shifts Stance on EU Joint Debt Amid Growing Defense and Ukraine Support Needs
Finland and the USA: Strong Allies with Shared Interests or a Trade Dispute?

Eco-Fascist Blackmail: Threats of Sabotage Loom Over the World Ski Championships

Norwegian eco-fascists are planning to disrupt the so-called "king’s race" of the Trondheim World Championships, the 50-kilometer ski race. The threat is serious, as these so-called activists have previously attempted to sabotage ski competitions.

The group behind the threat, Folk mot fossilmakta, has stated that they will cause disturbances unless their two conditions are met. These conditions are as follows:

1. All visible logos and advertisements from fossil fuel companies must be removed.
2. A short informational video about the treaty to stop the spread of fossil fuels must be played on large screens throughout the entire World Championships.

In other words, this is not just a demand—Folk mot fossilmakta has made a "Godfather-style offer you can’t refuse." They are blackmailing the organizers of the World Championships, threatening to destroy them—or in this case, the competition that both the organizers and the world’s best skiers have painstakingly and expensively prepared for.

It remains to be seen how the organizers of the World Championships will respond to this extortion. The easiest option for them would, of course, be to comply with the demands and fulfill the wishes of the eco-fascists. However, the problem with such an approach is that giving in to this kind of mafia-like behavior would grant it significant visibility—leading to even more similar threats in various events for increasingly bizarre reasons in the future.

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The organizers’ headaches are further compounded by the fact that the "king’s race" in cross-country skiing is set to take place on a long 8.3-kilometer course, making it nearly impossible to guard completely. This remains true even though the eco-fascists will most likely try to maximize their visibility by staging their attack near TV cameras.

This is because, in mass start races, cameras are positioned to capture the entire course, meaning that sabotage can be carried out virtually anywhere. And the situation is further complicated by the fact that the 50-kilometer races are held twice in Trondheim—once for men and once for women.

It remains to be seen how the International Ski Federation and the Norwegian organizers will respond to the eco-fascist mafia’s threat. Will they give in to the blackmail to ensure that the competition doesn’t turn into a disaster? Or will they trust that law enforcement—ultimately responsible for maintaining order in the kingdom—will prevent Folk mot fossilmakta from disrupting the event?

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In the long run, if the eco-fascists succeed in their sabotage or if their demands are met, it would encourage similar demands and disruptions in the future. And not just in sports competitions, but in all kinds of events where visibility can be gained by disturbing large crowds or causing other forms of damage.

That’s why it would be ideal if Norwegian society ensured that the blackmailers had no opportunity to interpret the events during the World Championships to their advantage. In other words: 1. Prevent sabotage, 2. Ensure that any attempted disruption receives no more media coverage than a brief mention. 3. Above all, make sure that such actions are not portrayed in a positive light.

In short, it should be made clear that a so-called "offer you can’t refuse" has no place in modern times—and that resorting to such tactics will not advance any cause.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Relationship Between the Professor and Teemu Selänne
The activists sought excitement and a boost to their self-esteem in the Stockholm Diamond League
A young woman skiing in a swimsuit caused a controversy among women

Erdogan wants fighter jets, and uses Finland and Sweden to get them

Foreign minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu of Turkey is currently negotiating with his colleague of the United States, Anthony Blinken, about buying General Dynamics F-16 fighter jets to his air force. They have asked those already quite a while ago, but only now have got their chance.

The reason is that Finland and Sweden have asked to be accepted as members of the NATO. And that provided Turkey a chance to blackmail Joe Biden´s regime to accept the trade. 

That probably is also the reason why Turkey is setting impossible demands to Sweden for a positive response. That is, asking Sweden to even change its legislation in order to send Kurdish refugees to be sentenced to jail for issues that are not crimes in the Nordic countries.

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In both Turkey and Finland people are waiting whether Americans will couple the fighter trade to President Erdogan´s approval of the applications of Finland and Sweden. And to help in such a way to increase our safety as neighbors of the aggressive Russia. 

While waiting for Turkish ratification I would like to point out to Turkey´s regime, that keeping Finland out for too long does not enhance positive attitudes of Finns towards the country. Actually, the reluctance seen thus far has already injured sympathy that prevailed between the people of the two nations just few years ago. 

Turkish behavior is also followed in other Western countries, and therefore the ruler of the Bosporous strait is now under a lot of pressure from other NATO members. A common expectation, however, is that Turkey would actually be ready to accept Finland and Sweden, but wants to get a reward for its graciousness. That is, modern fighters to be used in it own interest in Near East and elsewhere. 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Long distance trade
Finland and Sweden invited to NATO - but what about Kurdish people
Why Finland will apply for a membership in NATO