Matti Pesu
pesumatti.bsky.social
Matti Pesu
@pesumatti.bsky.social
Senior Research Fellow, Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Finland, Northern Europe, NATO
The final publication of this year, co-authored with Ville Sinkkonen, examines Finland’s historical and contemporary role in great-power competition. The chapter appears in The Palgrave Geopolitical Atlas.

➡️ link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/...
December 19, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Tomorrow, the heads of state and government of Finland, Sweden, the Baltic states, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria convene in Helsinki for the Eastern Flank Summit - an emerging coalition aimed at strengthening frontline perspectives in Europe, first and foremost within the EU.
December 15, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
📝New FIIA Briefing Paper!

NATO’s newly extended frontline – from the European Arctic to the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea – adds up to an “aggregated deterrence” against Russia, write @pesumatti.bsky.social, Iro Särkkä and @linnainmaki.bsky.social.⤵️

fiia.fi/en/publicati...
December 4, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
Iro Särkkä, Joel Linnainmäki and I claim in our new @fiia.fi Briefing Paper that NATO’s extended frontline - which should be seen as a layered zone of strategically exposed areas - has become the strategic fault line of Euro-Atlantic security. 1/4
📝New FIIA Briefing Paper!

NATO’s newly extended frontline – from the European Arctic to the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea – adds up to an “aggregated deterrence” against Russia, write @pesumatti.bsky.social, Iro Särkkä and @linnainmaki.bsky.social.⤵️

fiia.fi/en/publicati...
December 10, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Iro Särkkä, Joel Linnainmäki and I claim in our new @fiia.fi Briefing Paper that NATO’s extended frontline - which should be seen as a layered zone of strategically exposed areas - has become the strategic fault line of Euro-Atlantic security. 1/4
📝New FIIA Briefing Paper!

NATO’s newly extended frontline – from the European Arctic to the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea – adds up to an “aggregated deterrence” against Russia, write @pesumatti.bsky.social, Iro Särkkä and @linnainmaki.bsky.social.⤵️

fiia.fi/en/publicati...
December 10, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Ulkopolitiikan tutkimuksen apurahahaku on jälleen auki.

Rahoitusta haettavana Suomen ulkopolitiikkaa koskevaan väitöstyöhön.

Haettavissa myös stipendejä väitöstutkimukseen liittyviin slaavilaisten kielten - esim ukrainan - opintoihin.

Lisätietoja: ulkopolitiikantutkimus.fi/7201
October 1, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
Ulkopoliittinen instituutti katsoo toimineensa asianmukaisesti Oliver Stubbin rekrytointiprosessissa.

UPIn johtajan Hiski Haukkalan lausunto korkeakouluharjoittelijan rekrytointiin liittyen:

fiia.fi/ajankohtaist...
Ulkopoliittisen instituutin johtajan Hiski Haukkalan lausunto korkeakouluharjoittelijan rekrytointiin liittyen - FIIA - Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Ulkopoliittinen instituutti noudattaa kaikessa toiminnassaan hyvää hallintotapaa.
fiia.fi
June 19, 2025 at 9:35 AM
In his first big speech, Hegseth, in a message to Indo-Pacific allies, cited (the PATHETIC) Europe as a positive example of increasing defense spending.

www.ft.com/content/bee0...
Pete Hegseth warns Chinese military action against Taiwan ‘could be imminent’
Beijing says US defence secretary is trying to instigate confrontation and stir up the region
www.ft.com
May 31, 2025 at 3:25 PM
"Yet, a paradox exists. Currently, French nuclear doctrine doesn’t align with another ambition: European strategic autonomy. If the engagement with European allies must “go further,” France’s doctrine should change as well"

warontherocks.com/2025/05/ever...
Everything Changes but Nothing Changes: Can France Overcome its Own Nuclear Doctrine? - War on the Rocks
In a recent interview broadcast live on French television, President Emmanuel Macron declared: Ever since there has been a nuclear doctrine since Charles
warontherocks.com
May 28, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
Miten eurooppalaista ydinpelotetta voidaan vahvistaa, ja mitä riskejä ja mahdollisuuksia siihen liittyy?

UPIn paneelissa aiheesta keskustelivat Tapio Juntunen @juntta.bsky.social sekä UPIn tutkijat Jyri Lavikainen, Iro Särkkä ja @pesumatti.bsky.social

Katso tallenne ⬇️
fiia.fi/en/tapahtuma...
April 25, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
Miten Suomi turvataan?

Ensimmäinen #FIIAForum2025 paneelissa syvennyttiin tähän kysymykseen Outi Holopaisen, @pesumatti.bsky.social, @heljaossa.bsky.social, Harri Mikkolan ja Iro Särkän kanssa.

Nykyisessä turvallisuustilanteessa painottuu erityisesti 🇫🇮 kokonaisturvallisuusmalli ja resilienssi.
April 3, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
Gen Cavoli in Senate Armed Services hearing:

"From my perspective, as both SACEUR and EUCOM Commander, I have all the access and basing rights I need (in Greenland) to prosecute operations in the High North"

www.c-span.org/program/sena...
April 3, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
Lue lisää päivän keskustelujen aiheesta tuoreesta FIIA Research Paperista, jonka ovat kirjoittaneet Harri Mikkola, @pesumatti.bsky.social, Tuomas Iso-Markku ja @charlyjsp.bsky.social. ⤵️
Miten Suomi turvataan? | FIIA
Kansallisessa turvallisuudessa Suomen tulee varautua pahimpaan ja hyödyntää omia vahvuuksiaan, liittolais- ja kumppaniverkostoaan sekä EU:n mahdollisuuksia.
fiia.fi
April 3, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
Uudessa @fiia.fi -tutkimuspaperissamme arvioidaan perustavanlaatuista kysymystä: miten Suomi turvataan?

Analysoimme tekstissä valikoituja kansallisen turvallisuuden kulmakiviä, joiden varaan Suomi turvallisuuttaan rakentaa.

fiia.fi/julkaisu/mit...
Miten Suomi turvataan? | FIIA
Kansallisessa turvallisuudessa Suomen tulee varautua pahimpaan ja hyödyntää omia vahvuuksiaan, liittolais- ja kumppaniverkostoaan sekä EU:n mahdollisuuksia.
fiia.fi
April 1, 2025 at 6:55 AM
"Instead of building forces for a range of potential scenarios across multiple theaters, allies are being asked to focus primarily on fulfilling roles earmarked to them under the operational plans."

www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-res...
Why NATO’s Defence Planning Process will transform the Alliance for decades to come
The NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP) is little known outside defense ministries. But today this process is driving the most consequential shift in European and Canadian defense in the last two gen...
www.atlanticcouncil.org
April 1, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Uudessa @fiia.fi -tutkimuspaperissamme arvioidaan perustavanlaatuista kysymystä: miten Suomi turvataan?

Analysoimme tekstissä valikoituja kansallisen turvallisuuden kulmakiviä, joiden varaan Suomi turvallisuuttaan rakentaa.

fiia.fi/julkaisu/mit...
Miten Suomi turvataan? | FIIA
Kansallisessa turvallisuudessa Suomen tulee varautua pahimpaan ja hyödyntää omia vahvuuksiaan, liittolais- ja kumppaniverkostoaan sekä EU:n mahdollisuuksia.
fiia.fi
April 1, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
”Pesun mukaan kahdenvälisiä suhteita voi tiettyyn pisteeseen asti korostaa, mutta lopulta Suomi on osa Eurooppaa. Mikäli Trump päättää, että Eurooppa saa jäädä omilleen, ei siinä Suomen erityissuhteella ole paljon sijaa.”

@pesumatti.bsky.social
Asiantuntija: Suomen johto ostaa nyt aikaa Trumpin suhteen – Tehtiinkö presidentistä virhearvio?
Tekikö Suomen poliittinen johto virhearvion Trumpista? Nyt valtionjohto ostaa aikaa presidentin suhteen. Etenkin yksi asia Trumpin käänteissä yllätti: ”En kyllä odottanut.”
www.iltalehti.fi
March 25, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
Three years of Zeitwende have failed to even put Germany onto the mental horizon of researchers not focused on Germany in Northern Europe.

This piece by colleague @pesumatti.bsky.social has many interesting elements, but one of them to me is that Germany only gets a mention as a potential liability
Two Years in NATO, Finland is Searching for a Plan B
Just two years after joining NATO and forging an alliance with the United States, Finland finds itself compelled to consider alternative plans to ensure its security.
rusi.org
March 22, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
Miten Suomi turvataan muuttuvassa turvallisuusympäristössä?

Siihen syvennytään ensimmäisessä #FIIAForum2025 paneelissa 3.4., kun lavalle astuvat Outi Holopainen, Harri Mikkola, @heljaossa.bsky.social ja @pesumatti.bsky.social. Iro Särkkä moderoi.

Ilmoittaudu livestriimiin ➡️ fiia.fi/tapahtumat/f...
March 21, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
Very interesting commentary highlighting ”Nordic Plus” (UK and/or France) as the best option for Finland.
March 17, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
"What would a possible [Finnish] Plan B look like? It can be summed up as ‘Nordic Plus’... Finnish leaders will likely turn to Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, and, potentially, France." rusi.org/explore-our-...
Two Years in NATO, Finland is Searching for a Plan B
Just two years after joining NATO and forging an alliance with the United States, Finland finds itself compelled to consider alternative plans to ensure its security.
rusi.org
March 17, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
'Ukraine's experience demonstrates that Finland can only successfully deter Russia with external support' write @pesumatti.bsky.social and Dr Tomas Wallenius in the latest #RUSICommentary.
Two Years in NATO, Finland is Searching for a Plan B
Just two years after joining NATO and forging an alliance with the United States, Finland finds itself compelled to consider alternative plans to ensure its security.
rusi.org
March 17, 2025 at 4:44 PM
New piece by Tomas Wallenius and me:

Two years into NATO, Finland faces an ironic reality. For many, joining was the final step in anchoring Finland to the West. Now, with Trump's uncertain commitment to Europe, it must consider alternatives to its US alliance.
March 17, 2025 at 5:52 PM
"[Trump] and his allies see the cost of defending Europe as too high, given other needs. Coming to some kind of accommodation with Moscow, in this view, would allow the United States to bring home more troops or shift national security resources toward China"

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/u...
Trump’s Pivot Toward Putin’s Russia Upends Generations of U.S. Policy
As peace talks opened in Saudi Arabia, President Trump made clear that the days of isolating Russia are over and suggested that Ukraine was to blame for being invaded.
www.nytimes.com
February 19, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Reposted by Matti Pesu
Europe should view Trump’s wrecking ball approach to Nato and negotiations with Russia on the Ukraine war as “an opportunity”, not just a threat, President Emmanuel Macron will tell a hastily convened informal summit of European leaders at the Elysée Palace today. 1/
February 17, 2025 at 7:15 AM