Finnish President says Europe can defend itself without US, then clarifies

Finnish President Alexander Stubb. (Image: Reuters)

Finnish President Alexander Stubb’ said Europe in 'unequivocally' able to defend itself if attacked, even without direct US military assistance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

He added that Finland's defense posture was establish to repel any Russian invasion.

Stubb told a panel in Davos that Finland’s conscription, its artillery and its strong social cohesion would enable it to stave off an attack if Russia invaded. He also said that even if the U.S. didn’t intervene militarily, Finland’s fleet of F-18 and F-35 jet fighters, which need US permission to fly, would still be a potent deterrent, according to The Wall Street Journal report.

Stubb made the comments during a high-profile WEF panel moderated by journalist Sarah Kelly, host of Deutsche Welle’s political interview programme Conflict Zone. The panel was attended by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Polish President Andrzej Nawrocki.

When asked whether Europe can defend itself without the United States, Stubb opened his response by directly addressing the panel’s core question. “First is a direct answer to the question of this panel: Can Europe defend itself? My answer is unequivocally yes," he said. “Without the Americans? Without the Americans."

Finnish President Alexander Stubb: “First is a direct answer to the question of this panel: Can Europe defend itself? My answer is unequivocally yes. Without the Americans? Without the Americans. But you're relying on them for these key elements. How would you do it at scale and… pic.twitter.com/sNgvRmXwYl

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 21, 2026

Pointing to Finland’s defence posture, Stubb said the country operates a system of conscription, with around one million people trained, and can mobilise 280,000 soldiers within weeks. He cited Finland’s air force and artillery strength, including 62 F-18 fighter jets, 64 newly acquired F-35s, and what he described as the largest artillery capability in Europe alongside Poland.

Stubb also acknowledged that Finnish fighter jets do not operate independently of the United States. He said, "Your next question is going to be, do they fly without Americans? No, they don't. But do we trust that they will continue to fly because it's in the interest of America to do so? Yes. We just bought 64 F-35s. We have the biggest artillery in Europe together with Poland. We have long-range missiles, land, sea, and air. We have these because we're worried about Stockholm, right? So the bottom line is that if you ask me the question can the Finnish military defend itself against a Russian attack, the whole defense posture of the way in which you do it, yes, we can.”

Later in the discussion, Kelly referred back to the earlier phrasing and noted that Stubb had said Europe could defend itself without the Americans. Stubb pushed back, arguing that the remark had been taken out of context. “Well, that’s not an exact quote," he said, smiling. “I love journalists."

Alexander Stubb, President of Finland: Europe can unequivocally defend itself without the Americans. Reporter: So Europe doesn't need America to defend itself? Alexander Stubb: I didn't say that! pic.twitter.com/f0EwL0bPSa — Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 21, 2026

Rutte later made a light but pointed remark underscoring the broader debate over Europe’s defence preparedness. “Alex, I love you, but you are not producing enough for your defence," Rutte said to Stubb, according to a clip shared by NEXTA on social media.

Short clips of his comments are now being widely circulated widely on social media, drawing mixed reactions online. Some users portrayed the remarks as evidence that Europe could stand militarily without US support, while others pointed to his broader explanation and accused commentators of ignoring the qualifications he had laid out in the same answer.