Off The Cuff with Alexander Stubb, former Prime Minister of Finland

[@EssDee77]

Such a great interview! Former Finnish 🇫🇮 PM Alexander Stubb is so well spoken and seems to be such a refreshingly pragmatic, realistic and well informed European voice in the cacophony of western voices lecturing & pressuring India 🇮🇳. I was unsure what to expect at the beginning, as I didn’t know of Mr Stubb. But very refreshing indeed!

[@prasvasu4217]

Great conversation. Spoken diplomatically but with objectivity and a lot of candour. Great gentleman, Mr. Stubb.

[@MythicEcho]

Over-rationalisation past Over-dramatisation present Under-estimating future . What a beautiful analogy.

[@Drganguli]

A scholar and a politician. Rare to get such people nowadays

[@kittyss2371]

Alexander Stubb, the best lecture Ever.. 💓 very diplomatic as well on his Answers......👍👍

[@lordofbulls]

Exactly the conversation you'd expect form an erudite professional who served his country! Wish we had more munisters like him

[@akaplise8952]

The former Finnish prime minister has a charismatic personality.

[@RR-lh3el]

All public leaders do

[@TheContrariann]

Have you seen the current one ?

[@rajatdeshmukh1827]

He is the most wise, understanding and matured politician i have ever heard💯

[@sus10651]

Smart man from an exceptional country 🇫🇮

[@sahilbhardwaj3907]

What an amazing interview. Cheers to The Print for bringing these kind of conversations, hope for more of these in the future!!

[@SIDSresent]

Great episode.... And the guest is really humble and intelligent

[@Aryan-ye4mp]

Very Interesting discussion !! Love when such type of intellectuals comes to conversation

[@boysiedent6149]

HOW DO YOU DEFINE AN [ INTELLECTUAL ] IOS IT BECAUSE HE USES WORDS THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND

[@divyanshumishra3670]

Shekhar ji I humbly request you to invite our former NSA Mr. Shivshankar Menon in the upcoming OTCs. His calm and composed analyses on geopolitics is something that we really need at a time when the world is in churn

[@gaurang_maheshwari]

There is already an off the cuff interview with him

[@sumangadhok1499]

A very fine interview. SG certainly excelled in this one. His queries were so intelligent, focussed and understated. Alexander Stubb was surprisingly so smooth, transparent and direct. It was a pleasure to watch this video. And there is so much to learn for us Indians. We should not fall into the trap of correcting western nations, however, we need to be steadfast in protecting our independent foreign policy directed solely to protect our self interests. The resistance to authoritarian China must originate from India and be aided by liberal western nations.

[@npd9758]

It is raining Off the Cuffs, after a drought of several months

[@ankitshiv91]

This is amazing! thank you so much for this discussion.

[@shirishgarde4748]

Shekhar, thanks for this episode with Prime Minister Alexander Stubbs! The Finns are a wonderful and heroic innovative and gentle, kind and very friendly people! I've had the good fortune of visiting Finland a few times. Every time I'm in Helsinki, I make it a point to visit the statue of Marshall Karl Gustaf von Mannerheim, opposite the Finnish parliament on Mannerheim street! kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5yUnpyAmpZ8rpI Here's a link to " Fire and Ice, Finland 's Winter War"

[@mr.creator4592]

Wow he's so subtle and flawless in his views and thinking, very nice personality Very nice episode ❤️

[@man123an]

Very informative interview Shekhar Sir. Watching OTC for last 2 years.

[@VicharB]

Very interesting interview and one can see that Former PM, Mr Stubb, is indeed well read and has global world view, with personal philosophy and stand, but open to other views. Finland is indeed a beautiful and socially stable Nation, though at times there are minor social disturbances. Thank you.

[@nandinimehta364]

Great discussion

[@harshitaryan82]

Great and insightful Interview.

[@hasshah1276]

Super terrific interview

[@RawLu.]

So happy to see Shekhar talk with PM Stubb, a Good country with Good people :-)

[@ankushsaini8973]

Interesting and informative conversation

[@blueeight5573]

You had me at Professor and Scholar

[@anvitaprasad4770]

Loved the entire conversation. Very insightful.

[@Neemkaaped]

One of the best interviews to listen and learn.thank you SG🙏

[@kevinmathew7613]

What an excellent interview.

[@subhrangsudutta8029]

Great interview 🙏🙏

[@gaganpalsingh5997]

insightful and fascinating discussion. Educated on Finaldization, new world order and world's happiest country.

[@gaganpalsingh5997]

Can I get transcript of this discussion or article by Mr. Stubb on changing world order.

[@sharadchandakacherla8268]

pleasant conversation. I wish we Indians could be so confident enough like him to state our identity clearly. Because here speaking of identity openly equals definite character assassination and cancellation.

[@armaandogra632]

very nice sir, plz also make video on Why usa purchased 43% more oil from Russia

[@ritarosenberg8774]

A very fine interview!🌍

[@NimbusCumulo]

Thanks for this interview. It brings to light the perspectives and concerns of countries that share borders with Russia. Much of what we read and see on Indian media mirrors the Russian narrative and propaganda and hence isn't balanced. Interestingly, after the events of last month, the Finns are now more in favour of joining NATO.

[@arunm3678]

Really Enlightening

[@nicpirate007]

Be happy and hide it. What a statement!

[@lyrigageforge3259]

Yes, because the assumption is that people will want to take what ever you are happy about, if you show it with too much pride. But that said - Finnish people are more content than laughing per say. It is good to have things well enough in your own country - and those are the kind of things the happiness report measures. How content about all various things in life you can be about where it comes to your state and ability to live securely enough. All though, I think for us Finns - keeping your face relatively emotionless is almost like the standard state of expression too. Well think of it this way - when people are deep in their thoughts, they forget to show their thoughts and emotions outwards - and for us silence and private space and private time are rather important. A bit like meditation. Makes foreigners at times find us cold or hard to approach - but that is often because a Finn would think to not disturb anyone else as they may be busy or have things in their mind to consider.

[@Vivekk89]

Well spoken. Important point: Nations policies are based on their geography and history. Interesting fact: 35 countries that abstained in voting has 50% of world population.

[@MinhajAhmedAnsari]

Excellent OTC. Illuminating on so many aspects. Good to hear a perspective different from the narrative driven by US.

[@AdityaTrimurty]

Great Conversation and as geriatric millennial, I thought Conan O'Brien would step in and say something. I miss the old days. Good to see and hear Finnish independence and thought again.

[@shilpapathak2296]

Awesome interview ....

[@mrgyani]

Heard him on a channel called 'Times Radio' few weeks ago and he was brilliant.

[@rinnevanderhoff2995]

Very good insight of the whole proces of political,economical and sociological evolution of modern times.

[@Jay_Selvadurai]

Great Interview.

[@rinnevanderhoff2995]

Excellent.

[@poras1513]

Really Amazing🤩👍😍

[@pratikchandak1511]

Amazing interview

[@bishopofsahs]

🇫🇮👍

[@2002georgezacharia]

I missed the live chat ..now listening at 1am :)

[@nitinmaheshwari727]

Excellent

[@Sam-tz8ou]

Do people observe the fact that Europeans don't tend to condemn China? Of course economy above all.

[@xenon6947]

Even Modi Ji don’t take name of China openly.

[@ankanroy2931]

it dose condem, only on things that dont matter much and zero real sansation.

[@snikeduden2850]

Fyi, EU recently sued China in the WTO.

[@RonnieBanerjee007]

@@xenon6947 modiji doesn't name even Pakistan openly since PMO, world leaders tend to do that. Mostly just foreign ministers and MEA name other countries in statements.

[@ThePrintIndia]

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[@Anshumanc74]

I would like to add that Finnish are very calculated. They are one of the most difficult societies for an outsider to get a job in. So please be aware when they are analysing the Russian situation with cold intention India and Indians are also just a part of the calculation. Do not assume we are special.

[@gauravahuja2458]

Something is wrong with your audience engagement. 1.86 m subscribers but only 23k views. Less than 1.5%. You need to create content journeys so all your videos get around 10% views of your subscriber base at least

[@luckykhamparia3157]

We can change geography also by the way remember 1971 war

[@hritik9367]

How can i send my question for headline ke peeche show with shekhar? I have recently become a member

[@ThePrintIndia]

Hi Hritik. Thanks for the support. Do put it on the Community page.

[@hritik9367]

@@ThePrintIndia Where on the community page? In reply to which post? I am still not clear. Please clarify!

[@ThePrintIndia]

@@hritik9367 we put out a creative for that show on the Community page, a few times a week. You can post your question in the comments section there.

[@crazydrifter13]

The audio quality was quite bad. Looks like someone made a noob mistake of recording directly from the video call stream and then boosting the volume to the point of clipping 🤪

[@prashpatel6436]

He is so much better then Tony Blair

[@ud1976]

Interviewing is difficult. Providing breadth and depth within the time available. Shekhar has to keep his wits about.

[@jai598]

Shekhar is more of a story type guy rather than interviewing one

[@chandrasekhar6360]

Did we miss Japanese PM visit?

[@scatteringparameters.4167]

get mics dude

[@kallachi729]

Good programme. But it beats me. In such interviews, SG, and the Indian media, always repeatedly (once is understandable, but…) ask these foreign guests, whoever they are “What do you think should India do”, etc. I find this approach a bit slavish. Needs introspection. Tailpiece: we are as good as anybody in the World and we know what we are doing.

[@ashleykongari15]

Ukraine war has made Finland to be a part of NATO. I meet people everyday...the country people in Finland and do discuss this crisis. The percentage of those who want Finland to join NATO is very high. When this crisis had not taken place, the percentage could have been much lower. This was has legitimize countries joining NATO. But too much power in the hands of the West will be disadvantageous for poorer and weaker countries in the world.

[@RonnieBanerjee007]

Too much faith on whest really is an untested treaty can also be disastrous.

[@NimbusCumulo]

@@RonnieBanerjee007 That's what you have learned in your bubble. Not all countries need to think the way we are taught to think - they are living with their own realities.

[@mikrokupu]

@@RonnieBanerjee007 Check the map: All the other Russia's border neighbors in west are in NATO, from Norway to Poland. Finland has been non-aligned (like Sweden) but now Russia is not trusted anymore, the trust is totally gone.

[@ashleykongari15]

@varun prasad NATO is not run by saints. They have their own agenda and their hands are not clean. Wait until NATO will dictate the world. They already do...like telling India to support American position without thinking and reasoning...to solve the problem one needs to go to the roots of the problem without which nothing good will come out. Western media has one side of the story but something more is there behind the scene which is being hidden. America wants a puppet government and so does Russia ...the victims are innocent people of Ukraine...

[@qalat23]

As Finnish citizen, I do not vote for Finland joining Nato, due to its ill consequences and would be more disastrous for us, if you check the history, after peace treaty agreement with Soviet Union until now and even during cold war nothing bad happened here.

[@nik6304]

Why anything that's good for China is bad for India ? Even with realist POV. I would like to know strategic thinking behind this conclusion

[@Love.life.ashigzoya]

Very rational interpretation of Russian psyche. Shekhar Gupta seems obcessed with word democracy which makes it very difficult to widen one's horizon to understand other systems if organising society . Fins are great fighters and held their own against Soviet Army in winter front of war of 39 /40 country led by FM Mannerheim. The blue Swastika was Finish symbol on aircraft. So we cannot and must not raise eyebrows on what us in Putins mind without understanding Ryssian history. Why not ask what is I Wests mind to have remained NATO when Soviet threat had wound up ? Such questions are subjective . Finish PM covered this to an extent Indian Military Veterans . Indian

[@lyrigageforge3259]

The blue Swastika was a symbol for Finnish Air forces BEFORE Hitler and the Nazi ever made their flag. This is because it was in use as a symbol by the Swedish nobleman who donated our country our first airplanes for military. And I am aware also that it had utterly different meaning and symbolism, before the Nazi abused the use or it.

[@Spashth]

I don’t know why you kept asking for his advice for India, stop this slave attitude

[@mirekslechta7161]

MAIN REASONS A G A I N S T joining NATO : 1) Joining NATO means to serve as a target for Russia´s or China´s strategic nuclear missilles all the time in future, certainly not just untill Ukraine war would end. 2) USA may back off in case of nuclear war in Europe to save hundreds of their cities- than NATO would loose nuclear war in Europe. 3) Even if USA would not back off, they appreciate every new NATO land(Finland) to absorb some of Russia´s nukes, which otherwice would surely explode above USA´cities... 4) Finland managed alone in past, could manage in future. It is still better option than to be incenereted instead of some USA´s cities...USA likes to be nuclear state, on the other hand they can not defend themself against Russia´s nuclear forces, let alone to defend Europe against it! Finland would better to rely on Finish defensive means and not to mess with counting on USA and kind of stand up against nuclear superpowers like Russia and China to "fight" them one day... ( To "fight" them means- to absorb some of nukes which otherwise would explode above USA´cities very harmlessly for Finland.... 5) Mr. Stubb knows little about wars unfortunately. Joining NATO is the way how to assure the tottal destructin to Finland during a nuclear war between USA and Russia, or even between European NATO states and Russia... 6) If anybody thinks that USA is a morally "OK" NATO leader- kind of a "good guy" , than please try to google: "USA drone strikes" . You will find crimes committed by USA on civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen an other third world countries... 7) In case of nuclear war the desruction would be gruesome, but also very limited geographically to states involved. Joining NATO is signing completely unnecesarry death sentence, since it is signing for being targeted by SATTAN II and more of similar machines instead of some USA´s big cities.

[@maheshdewani547]

इतनी बेबाकी से कम ही लोग बोल पाते हैं। यहां तो रायचंद भरे पड़े हैं, इंडिया को एडवाइज मांगने पर भी alex ने नहीं दी।

[@manojk5904]

Shekar ji: You have a lot of respect for Stephen Cohen and his view (2019) is very different about Ukraine and Russia. 2014 Ukraine coup and who was behind it...militarizationn in Ukraine by west since 2014...Anthrax lab...You can hear more from John Mearsheimer, Kissinger, Vladimir Pozner, Oliver stone. I picked Stephen bcos you admire him.....1) Military Industrial complex - warning by Eisenhower.... 2) remember WMD in Iraq? 3) petrodollar 4) Monroe doctrine 5) cuban missile crisis - how US responded... all options were open for US including nuclear 6) democracy in Afghanistan was important in 2001. Not anymore bcos US is not dependent on Middle East for oil?...I don't blame Russia. There are many more like Stephen in the west but western media is not like Indian media and hence we hear the same narrative. I can understand Dalip Singh... poor guy (lol) But Journalist should share both narratives to the public. Please KZbin 'Ukrainegate impeachment Saga worsens US-Russia cold war'

[@flavioalmeida4608]

He forgot to say that in Second War II during BARBAROSSA OPERATION they join with "Germans" to invade Soviet Union... But we pretend that we do not know about it. By the way, Finland is a Dream country almost a paradarise in earth.

[@Failbot123]

The only reason we did that was because 2 years earlier the Soviets attacked us and stole our land. Including our 2nd largest city at the time.

[@TheDeepeshsethi]

Please give me citizenship of your country, I will vote for u till I die

[@ankushsaini8973]

Bhai knha se aaya ynha...galti se pahunch gaya kya OTC me

[@mikrokupu]

He is not in politics anymore ;)

[@ashishthakur9054]

India will not go in west camp as well as in authoritarian camp. It will have it's own indipendent position

[@alanthecat59]

excellent, from uk, shocking for me to realise that you guys think we think you are a small dog , when we know you are a big dog. please act like you know your are a democratic big dog now and lead , why not ! Uk will follow you............ and many others, maybe better leader than USA , thats not a high bar is it ?

[@jcd776]

Non-West countries must keep in mind that almost all these European countries are extremely biased against Russia because of history of Russian Empire and USSR. Must read more history and realize that many of them actually allied with Germany during WW2 because that was their chance to rebel against USSR which they perceived to be Russian led. However, if you talk to Russians, you would get the impression that they too disliked the Soviet administration because it was designed explicitly as an anti-Russian State, similar to how modern Republic of India was designed in 1947 as an anti-Hindu State. In fact, some historians postulate that Lenin himself was an agent of German and British aristocracies working to take out the Russian imperial family so that they could step in and seize territory, but then Stalin came in and was too cunning for them and seized power. Truth is not black or white, but grey. So whenever these baltic and European countries talk about Russia always remember that their views are to a large extent motivated by some level of Russophobia. In fact, they now consider Russia so "evil" that it is now an Asian country and that Vladimir Putin is equivalent to Chinggis Khan. Must also remember that USA and West helped rig elections and bring Yeltsin into power, then sent their Harvard economists like Jeffrey Sachs to impose "shock therapy" on Russian economy, which let to rise of oligarchs. West actually selected Putin to lead, and he was smart to realize the West's plot to seize Russian industries and instead made the oligarchs loyal to him and Russia. Putin's administration has helped Russia resurrect itself into a great power from a basket case and that is why people support him so much. Much like India, there is no proper alternative to him, and in case you do see an alternative they are shown to have links with regime change agents like NED (CIA linked) and George Soros type NGOs, and are quickly dismissed by the Russian people themselves. Very similar cases in India, especially with last 2 years where we had CAA and Farmer protests which were actually failed color revolution regime change attempts. So, always take European opinions about Russia with a sack of salt.

[@RamMohammadJosephKaur]

You nailed it 👍

[@stevenkraft8070]

Finland joined the Nazis in their attack on the Soviet Union in order to regain the territories it lost to Stalin and the Soviet Union in the 1939-1940 Winter War. If Stalin had not attacked Finland during that war (breaking a security guarantee that he had given to Finland in 1932 in the process), then most likely Finland would have remained neutral during Hitler's war with the Soviet Union. Likewise Romania, which in large part joined Hitler's war against the Soviet Union to regain territories that Stalin took from Romania (roughly the area of modern-day Moldova) in the August, 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, where Hitler gave Stalin free reign in the Baltic States, what was at that time eastern Poland and in this area around current Moldova, in return for Stalin letting Hitler take what was at the time western and central Poland. The Red Army marched into Moldova shortly after the pact was announced, and the Romanians chose not to go to war with Russia at the time, even though the Moldova region was clearly within Romania's internationally recognized borders. So what was probably Hitler's two most important allies in his war with the Soviet Union both joined at least in large part to regain territories from and get revenge against Stalin for actions that Stalin had taken in the previous couple years.

[@mikrokupu]

Russophobia? Finland used to be Russia's closest neighbor in northen Europe, NATO wasn't even seriously discussed in Finland just two months ago. Then Putin's regime change everything, Putin is the best ambassodor for NATO, ever.

[@jcd776]

@@stevenkraft8070 from my discussions with european friends and my own readings, I've come to the conclusion that it is just a Clash of Civilizations scenario like Samuel Huntington put it. Orthodox Christians (Mostly Slavic), "Western" "Liberals" (mix of protestant, catholic, w0kism followers + asian deracinated from their culture) are just some factions of the world. Russia is no longer a communist godless country and does not like its soviet past, but still honors the 20 million people who perished during their Great Patriotic War (WW2). From Asian perspective, the "West" seems to hate Russians because they are looked at as an incomplete "civilizing" mission, the ultimate objective being to break the Russian Federation into small manageable pieces. Such unwise adventures show that Western elites' are becoming deranged. Best hope for the world now is a regime change in USA. The remote control president cannot remain in power.

[@rodtukker1904]

Finland achieved great human development metrics by being neutral. I am sure they will not be the same country if they join NATO who has a designated enemy. For Russia, Finland is a neutral neighbor and the moment it joins NATO, it becomes enemy in the neighborhood.

[@mikrokupu]

Poor you, paid in Rubles :)

[@suukinsin6771]

the moment finland joins nato all the russian nukes will point at finland and the fins will bcm not the most happiest country in the world

[@lucabrasi7999]

Nukes are all ready near our border, nothing new