By Atoyebi Nike
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has said the world is entering an unsettling phase in global security, marked by what he described as “a new era of nuclear weapons.” His comments follow the United States’ recent declaration that it intends to begin fresh nuclear weapons tests.
Speaking in Helsinki on Monday, Stubb said the long-held principles that guided nuclear deterrence and strategic balance among major powers were now shifting. According to him, the importance of nuclear arms in global geopolitics has been growing in ways not seen in decades.
His remarks came days after US President Donald Trump revealed that Washington would restart nuclear testing. The announcement immediately drew scrutiny, including questions about whether he was referring to the first US nuclear explosion since 1992.
The debate intensified after Russia claimed it had successfully tested a nuclear-powered cruise missile known as the Burevestnik, along with a nuclear-powered underwater drone capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
For many years, no nation besides North Korea has publicly carried out a nuclear detonation. Russia and China have not conducted such tests since 1990 and 1996, respectively.
On Sunday, Trump alleged that countries such as Russia and China had been conducting underground nuclear experiments out of public view, adding that the United States would respond in kind.
Stubb said the developments raise critical questions for Finland and its partners. “How do we strengthen deterrence together? How do we prevent escalation?” he asked, noting Finland’s 1,340 kilometre border with Russia.
Finland abandoned its longstanding military neutrality after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, joining the United States-led NATO alliance in 2023.
