FinnFest Brings Together Leaders to Talk About European and U.S. Security

DULUTH, MINN. — Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, The Finnish ambassador to the U.S., and a retired four-star general were in Duluth on Friday to speak at FinnFest at the DECC regarding European and American Security.

A great deal of what was said during the panel discussion dealt with Finland becoming a part of NATO and the Russian history of invading neighbors over the past two decades.
Before becoming Ambassador to the United States. Mikko Hautala had been Finland’s Ambassador to Russia. He told a standing-room-only crowd that the U.S. and Finland have been very close for more than 20 years, and have now become even closer as Finland became a part of NATO in April.

“Russian attacks held strength in NATO because NATO has to take up its fundamental values more seriously. It also held to the EU to help Ukraine much more and also us. We are helping Ukraine really seriously,” said Hataula. “I think for capital terms Finland’s help is on the same level with the U.S. So any information or anybody saying it’s the U.S. alone, that’s completely false. We are fully, fully with the U.S.”

Retired USAF General Phillip Breedlove was Commander of the U.S. European Command and was in that position when Russia invaded Crimea. He’s concerned about the world’s reaction and the United States reaction to these invasions. Breedlove said, “I think we have to examine ourselves, are we doing enough yet or will we once again reward Mr. Putin with more of Ukraine’s property?”

Senator Amy Klobuchar and the other members of the panel are looking forward to Sweden becoming a part of NATO as early as this fall. That will provide NATO with members from the Arctic region all the way to just north of Africa.