Thread by @Halla_aho

1/12 My congratulations to @realDonaldTrump and @JDVance on winning the presidency of the oldest continuous democracy in the world!

Some quick thoughts on the situation:

2/12 During the campaign, the media and the liberals have repeatedly called Mr Trump a clown, a conman, a fascist, a felon, incompetent, and whatnot.

Yet, he won the election. What does that say about the rival and their agenda? They lost the election to Mr Trump.

3/12 This reminds me of Ewan McGregor's rant about being Scottish in 'Trainspotting':

- Some people hate the English, I don't! They're just wankers! We, on the other hand, are colonised by wankers! Can't even find a decent culture to be colonised by!

4/12 In my interpretation, Mr Trump's victory is essentially a working-class revolt against woke politics, out-of-control immigration, and other "progressive" causes that divide and erode the society.

5/12 You may say that these are not legitimate issues, or that - even if they are - Mr Trump will not deliver what his voters expect from him. But that is beside the point. The point is that these are the reasons why tens of millions of ordinary and decent people vote for him.

6/12 Mr Trump's first election in 2016 was a lost learning opportunity for the liberals. They learned nothing because in their hubris they believed they are on the right side of history, and that any setback is a temporary anomaly that will correct itself on its own.

7/12 Most likely they will learn nothing this time either. Thus tens of millions of people will keep voting for an alternative, and an alternative will keep coming and kicking their butts.

8/12 Should we as Europeans be worried?

It is a bit much to ask the American tax-payer, who is struggling to make ends meet, to put the defense and security of Europe on top of his/her agenda, especially when Europeans themselves do not.

9/12 I believe the best way to keep the Americans interested in our affairs is that we ourselves show interest in them and contribute more both to the collective deterrence of NATO and to providing defense material to Ukraine.

10/12 Finland will continue to do its best and encourage our European partners to do the same. With a long border and a difficult history with Russia, we understand what is at stake.

11/12 Our American friends I wish to remind that they do have a genuine national interest in Ukraine. If Russia is allowed to win this war, that will be interpreted as weakness and a defeat of the entire collective West. And that will have bad consequences for the US globally.

12/12 Citing J.R.R. Tolkien (Aldarion & Erendis):

"Behold! The darkness that is to come is filled with hatred for us, but it hates you no less. The Great Sea will not be too wide for its wings, if it is suffered to come to full growth."