OTTAWA - Finnish President Alexander Stubb says he’s “the most pro-American president in Europe,” despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s persistent criticisms of Western allies and global trade system disruption. Stubb made the comments in an interview on CTV Question Period while he was in Ottawa for the first visit to Canada by a Finnish president in 12 years. In the interview, which will air Sunday, host Vassy Kapelos asked Stubb what he believes are the causes of the ongoing shift in the global order. In response, he said it’s three-fold: the false assumption that every country would move toward some kind of liberal democracy after the Cold War, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and all being accelerated by the change in administration in the United States, namely the global superpower defining itself as MAGA. “It’s anti-globalization, it’s anti-international institutions, it withdraws from the climate Paris Accords, withdraws from the (International Criminal Court), it doesn’t work within the framework of traditional international law,” Stubb said. Stubb said despite his belief that “the United States will find themselves in quite a lonely place,” he still considers himself an “avid trans-Atlanticist.” “I mean, I’m the most pro-American president in Europe,” he said. “I want the relationship to work, but I fully also realize that, you know, with certain patterns of behaviour, there is going to be a feeling of, ‘OK, if you treat me like that, I don’t feel very good about it’,” he added, seemingly referencing Trump and his foreign policy. Since moving back into the White House last year, Trump has levelled several criticisms at European allies, including that they don’t pay their fare share of security and defence spending, calling European leaders “weak,” frequently threatening to leave NATO, and most recently, slamming European countries for refusing to intervene in the war in Iran. Canada, meanwhile, has been in a protracted trade war with Trump since last February, when the president slapped a series of tariffs on Canadian imports. Trump has also repeatedly threatened Canada’s sovereignty and expressed his desire to claim Canada as the 51st state. Stubb said Trump is “very dominant with his rhetoric,” and there are things he says with which Stubb agrees, even if he questions the way he says it. For example, he said, the position that Europe should pay more for its own security, and increase its defence spending. “But then, you know, there are elements which I disagree with, like, for instance, the tariffs,” Stubb added. “We’re living in turbulent times,” he also said. “But my sort of recipe is always, instead of disengaging with America, engage as much as you possibly can, both with President Trump and the rest of the administration.” When asked by Kapelos whether he hesitates to call himself pro-American because that’s largely an unpopular opinion in Europe — and in Canada in the current context — Stubb said he’s “not in it for brownie points or political points.” “And I don’t think that America is President Trump,” he also said. Stubb also said he doesn’t “want to throw the baby out with the bathwater,” because no matter what he will be supportive of strong transatlantic partnerships, including between Europe and the U.S., but also with Canada. “I come back to the notion (that) this is not a total rupture of transatlantic partnership or our relationship with America,” Stubb said, referencing Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos in January and contrasting his take with Carney’s. “It’s a phase. It will not be what it used to be, but it will not be catastrophic in the long run either.” Stubb in his interview also discussed NATO — including his thoughts on Trump’s persistent threats to leave the alliance — and his stance on the prospect of Canada joining the European Union. After scoring an electoral hat trick in three byelections Monday night, meanwhile, Carney on Tuesday hit the ice with the capital’s PWHL team, the Ottawa Charge, taking part in practice alongside Stubb. You can watch Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s full interview on CTV Question Period Sunday at 11 a.m. ET. With files from CTV News’ Rachel Aiello
