Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has warned the Israel-US war on Iran could trigger a “self-inflicted global recession” with consequences potentially worse than the coronavirus pandemic, according to Al Jazeera.

Speaking to Politico, Stubb criticised President Trump’s “America First” approach arguing it reduces diplomacy to short-term deals.

“Diplomacy is rarely a transaction,” he said. “I mean, interest can be transactional, but even then you should find mutual interest.”

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb speaks to the media upon arriving to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Heads of State and Government summit in The Hague, on June 25, 2025. —Reuters
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb speaks to the media upon arriving to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Heads of State and Government summit in The Hague, on June 25, 2025. —Reuters

Opinion

Editorial

Reflection time
Updated 25 Jun, 2026

Reflection time

Israel is the biggest source of instability in the Middle East, and it is high time the US ended its blind support to Tel Aviv, if it genuinely wants peace in the region.
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Pezeshkian’s visit
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Updating Islamabad
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