International
The Åland archipelago, the last anti-militarist haven of the Baltic
After the entry of Finland and Sweden into the Atlantic Alliance, the entire Baltic Sea basin is occupied by NATO and Russia troops, with the exception of Åland, a picturesque Finnish archipelago of just 30,000 inhabitants that wants to remain the only non-militarized area of the region.
Composed of 6,757 islands and islets, of which only 60 are inhabited, this archipelago is strategically located in the heart of the Baltic, halfway between Turku, the former capital of Finland, and Stockholm, the Swedish capital.
Åland (Ahvenanmaa, in Finnish) is the only autonomous region of Finland and, despite its small population, it has its own parliament (Lagting) and an autonomous government, bodies that manage all competences except for foreign policy, customs and the judicial system.
The relationship of this archipelago with the European Union (EU) is regulated in a protocol that contains special provisions for the purchase of real estate, the right to establish business and the sale of tax-free products to travelers.
But the most peculiar thing about Åland is that international treaties stipulate that it is a demilitarized region, so it is forbidden to establish military bases, deploy troops and even carry out training maneuvers in its territory.
The demilitarization of Åland dates back to 1856, the year in which Russia – to which Finland then belonged – lost the Crimean war against an alliance formed by the United Kingdom, France and the Ottoman Empire.
Following the defeat, Russia was forced to sign the so-called Åland Convention, a document that established the demilitarization and neutralization of the archipelago, which in practice prevented both the fortification of the islands and their use in an eventual war offensive against another country.
Once Finland became independent from Russia in 1917, the Nordic country granted Åland a status of autonomy that guaranteed the right to self-government and to maintain its language (Swedish), its culture and its local customs.
At the same time, Helsinki ratified the provisions contained in the Åland Convention, which were confirmed by the international community in the Treaty of Paris of 1947 that followed the Second World War.
While militarism spreads throughout Europe as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and many countries increase defense spending, accelerate the purchase of weapons and consider restoring compulsory military service, in Åland they prefer to maintain their status as a demilitarized region.
“I would say that a very clear majority of Åland residents believe that this solution is something that has been very useful in the past and that it will also be useful in the future,” Johan Ehn, representative of the autonomous region in Helsinki, said in an interview with EFE.
Ehn admits that the bellicism of Russia, a country with which Finland shares 1,340 kilometers of border, has aroused some fear among the population of the archipelago, although he does not believe that it is greater than in other European regions because it cannot deploy troops on its islands.
“We have a neighbor to the east – Russia – who is behaving very seriously, and it is clear that in Åland we are worried and that there is also some fear about it, but neither more nor less than in other parts of the country, in Scandinavia or in Europe,” he said.
In any case, the demilitarization of the archipelago – Ehn maintains – would not prevent an eventual sending of Finnish and even NATO troops to defend Åland under certain circumstances, for example in the event of a hypothetical Russian attack.
“In Åland people know that there are systems to tackle the defense, so they are safe and satisfied with this solution.
And especially considering that Finland and Sweden are now members of NATO, we feel even safer,” he stressed.
Some Finnish politicians have criticized the maintenance of Åland’s status at a time of serious tensions with neighboring Russia, but neither the Finnish State, nor Sweden nor NATO have shown – at least for the time being – any willingness to change it.
When Finland decided to break with eight decades of military neutrality and apply for entry into the Alliance, the former Finnish president, Sauli Niinistö, commissioned a report to the Foreign Ministry on the issue of Åland.
This report, published last year, concludes that the current status is beneficial for Finland and that Helsinki must respect international treaties, so at the moment there is no possibility of abolishing the demilitarization of the archipelago.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
International
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
Russia accused Ukraine on Saturday of violating a Victory Day truce that was reportedly agreed with mediation from the United States, claiming that Ukrainian forces carried out attacks on Russian territory as well as on the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Despite the declared ceasefire, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian military positions using attack drones and artillery.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces made twelve attempts to advance toward Russian-held positions across several sectors of the front line.
It also alleged that Ukrainian strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Crimea, several border regions, the Caucasus, and other areas including Moscow and Perm in the Ural region.
The Defense Ministry estimated around 8,900 violations of the ceasefire in total, including more than 7,000 drone attacks and over 1,000 strikes involving tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launch systems, and mortars since the truce came into effect at midnight.
Russia said its forces responded “symmetrically” to what it described as violations by Ukrainian troops.
Earlier, the Kremlin denied claims that Ukraine attempted to sabotage a military parade in Red Square marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
“No attempts were made. Everything went well,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told local media.
International
Trump Says U.S.-Iran Talks Progressing, Signals Possible Deal on Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Washington is holding “very good” talks with Iran and stated that there is a strong possibility of reaching an agreement to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve had very good conversations over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll reach an agreement,” Trump said during an event held in the Oval Office at the White House.
The president’s remarks came just hours after he announced a temporary suspension of the military operation aimed at escorting vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to Iran’s blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump explained that the pause in operations is intended to facilitate diplomatic negotiations between both sides and prevent further military escalation in the region.
“We’re in good shape, and right now things are going well. Now we have to achieve what we need to achieve. If we don’t, we’ll have to go much further,” the Republican president warned.
In a post published on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated that if Iran accepts Washington’s proposed conditions, military operations and the naval blockade affecting the Islamic republic would come to an end.
However, he also issued a new warning to the Iranian government, stating that the United States would respond with attacks “of greater intensity” if Tehran rejects the agreement promoted by the White House.
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