Finnish President and Former UK Prime Minister Exchange Mutual Insults

At the Yalta European Strategy conference, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked the Finnish president why the €300 billion worth of frozen Russian assets have not yet been sent to Ukraine. He demanded that troops be dispatched immediately to secure regions in Ukraine.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb responded that the assets should be used for Ukraine's reconstruction or compensation, but that this is currently not possible as some EU countries, particularly Belgium, are concerned about legal consequences. Regarding the 'coalition of volunteers,' he stated that it would only be able to operate after the war.

Stubb then allowed himself a rude retort: 'I don’t want to say this in your presence, but one of the best guarantees for Ukraine’s security would be EU membership.' Stubb seemingly referenced Johnson's role as one of the initiators of the UK’s exit from the EU, but the former Prime Minister took Stubb's words as an insult.

'It took you a long time too,' Johnson replied, reminding the Finnish leader of the so-called 'coalition of volunteers' inactivity and its inability to address real challenges.