Finnish President Alexander Stubb told Fox News Digital that President Donald Trump has significantly intensified efforts to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine, offering a calmer assessment of Russian threats than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The comments came during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where Stubb highlighted the diplomatic progress made over the past year and a half. Stubb stated that Finland is prepared for Moscow and that the current diplomatic posture is better than it was before Trump took office. He credited Trump with doubling down on finding a solution through negotiators such as Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Stubb described his own role, along with Norway's prime minister, as working in the back office to relay information between Ukraine, the United States, and European governments. Zelenskyy, who met with Trump in New York during the same week, expressed a more urgent concern. He warned that Russia could take its war beyond Ukraine's borders, citing the high risk of drone, missile, or land operations against countries bordering Russia or Belarus. Zelenskyy argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin might seek to create instability elsewhere in Europe to pressure Western governments into reducing support for Kyiv. He urged European nations to respond firmly to these provocations, stating that failure to do so would encourage further Russian aggression. In contrast, Stubb dismissed the likelihood of a direct Russian invasion of Finland. As commander-in-chief, he said he sits on all relevant information and sees no factual basis for such an attack. Stubb distinguished between the kinetic war in Ukraine and a broader hybrid campaign in Europe involving cyberattacks, sabotage, and damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. He characterized this as a campaign to intimidate Europe and scare its populations. Stubb attributed Finland's calm demeanor to decades of preparation for a potential threat from its eastern neighbor. He noted that Finland has a population of 5.6 million, mandatory military service, and a reserve force. The Finnish Defence Forces estimates the country's wartime military strength at 280,000 personnel, with additional reservists available if needed. Recent defense enhancements include the acquisition of 64 F-35A fighter jets to replace the F/A-18 Hornet fleet. According to a Finnish Defence Forces press release, the first two F-35s arrived at the Lapland Air Wing in Rovaniemi on Sept. 18. Stubb also pointed to Finland's long-range capabilities, extensive network of civilian shelters for over 4.4 million people, and its status as NATO's 31st member since April 4, 2023. He argued that this level of preparedness serves as a strong deterrent against Russian aggression. During his Sept. 22 address to the U.N. General Assembly, Stubb advocated for continued support for Kyiv through the Coalition of the Willing. He also urged SpaceX owner Elon Musk to extend Starlink coverage so Ukrainian forces could target Russian ballistic missile launchers. Stubb linked the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, alleging that Moscow provides intelligence to Tehran for use against U.S. bases in the Gulf, while Iran supplies weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine. He agreed with Trump's call for Iran's economic isolation and prevention of nuclear weapon acquisition. Stubb described the current global security environment as a multiplicity of interconnected conflicts that require working around the clock.