Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen is set to visit Finland from Wednesday evening to Friday, where he will meet with his Finnish counterpart, Alexander Stubb. During his visit, Van der Bellen plans to engage with various security institutions, including the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats and the Finnish Coast Guard. In advance of his trip, Van der Bellen emphasized the importance of safeguarding peace through European solidarity. The discussions on the Finnish side will focus on the reorientation of transatlantic relations and the implications of Russia's unlawful invasion of Ukraine. Both Austria and Finland joined the European Union in 1995 but maintained a military non-alignment at that time. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland, along with Sweden, applied for NATO membership and officially became a member of the alliance on April 4, 2023. Given its 1,340-kilometer border with Russia, Finland is particularly attentive to developments in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. President Stubb has expressed skepticism regarding the prospects for negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning a ceasefire in Ukraine, stating that Putin has not shown any intention of pursuing peace. Stubb has articulated that the original objective of the Russian government was to erase Ukraine's existence, and that the situation has not changed. He advocates for increased pressure on the Russian leader through sanctions and the utilization of frozen Russian assets, alongside providing substantial military support to Ukraine. On Friday, Van der Bellen is also scheduled to meet with Parliament Speaker Jussi Halla-aho, who represents the right-wing populist party, the True Finns. Additionally, the Austrian president will visit the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki, an initiative established in 2016 by the EU and NATO to address rising hybrid threats. Austria was one of the founding nations of this center, aimed at assisting EU and NATO member states in defending against hybrid (cyber) attacks. In Helsinki, Van der Bellen will also tour the Merihaka bunker facility, which doubles as a sports center during peacetime but can accommodate up to 6,000 people in emergencies. Reports indicate that Finland has over 50,000 shelters capable of housing approximately 4.8 million people, covering about 85% of its population. Prior to his journey, Van der Bellen discussed Austria's security policy with Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, highlighting the unpredictable geopolitical landscape and the evolving nature of international alliances. He noted that this moment presents an opportunity for the European Union to assert its identity in security matters, stressing the need for a confident Europe that can strategically secure peace and freedom. As president, Van der Bellen underscored his commitment to ensuring the safety of Austrian citizens and emphasized that long-term security can only be achieved through European solidarity. He expressed strong support for the Austrian government's constructive engagement within the EU framework. Meinl-Reisinger articulated the immediate impacts of global instability on Austria, emphasizing the nation's security as contingent upon its international role. She called for a shared endeavor between the government and the presidency to shape security beyond national borders, pledging active participation in security policy discussions at both European and global levels.