Finland

"America is a founding member of NATO, the military alliance of democratic nations created after World War Two prevent -- to prevent war and keep the peace. And today, we've made NATO stronger than ever. We welcomed Finland to the Alliance last year. And just this morning, Sweden officially joined, and their minister is here tonight. Stand up. Welcome. Welcome, welcome, welcome. And they know how to fight. Mr. Prime Minister, welcome to NATO, the strongest military alliance the world has ever seen."

"Under-representation of women and other inequality among researchers is a problem that will not solve itself as women acquire competence. As a country whose women are highly educated, Finland is a good example of this."

"At stakes are different views of Christianity but also the unique relationship that, although disestablished, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland] maintains with the Finnish state. By filing criminal charges against [[Päivi Räsänen|[Päivi] Räsänen]] and Bishop [[w:Juhana_Pohjola|[Juhana] Pohjola]] for their conservative view of homosexuality, the prosecutors are protecting a national consensus that, according to polls, strongly supports LGBT rights and same-sex marriage. But they are also protecting the national church against what it perceives as dangerous heresy and schism."

"Finns live in smaller homes than Americans and consume a lot less. They spend relatively little on national defense, though they still have universal male conscription, and it is popular. Their per capita national income is about 30 percent lower than ours. Private consumption of goods and services represents about 52 percent of Finland’s economy, and 71 percent of the United States’. Finns pay considerably higher taxes — nearly half their income — while Americans pay about 30 percent on average to federal, state and local governments."

"Too much of Finnish reality depends on uniquely Finnish circumstances. Finland is as big as two Missouris, but with just 5.2 million residents, it’s ethnically and religiously homogeneous. A strong Lutheran work ethic, combined with a powerful sense of probity, dominates the society. Homogeneity has led to consensus: Every significant Finnish political party supports the welfare state and, broadly speaking, the high taxation that makes it possible. And Finns have extraordinary confidence in their political class and public officials. Corruption is extremely rare."

"I was bothered by a sense of entitlement among many Finns, especially younger people. Sirpa Jalkanen, a microbiologist and biotech entrepreneur affiliated with Turku University in that ancient Finnish port city, told me she was discouraged by "this new generation we have now who love entertainment, the easy life." She said she wished the government would require every university student to pay a "significant but affordable" part of the cost of their education, "just so they’d appreciate it.""

"Finland to the Finns! (Elias Lönnrot)"

"Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay, [hoping steps to take the decision would] be taken rapidly within the next few days."

"Finlande is called a fayre Countrye, because it is more pleasanter than Swecia ... Muche wyne is transported thither; out of Spayne, by the sea Balthic, which the people of the Country much desyreth, onely to exhillerat their myndes ... The Finnons have continual warres with the Muscouites in the arme or bosome of the sea Finnonicus: usyng in Summer the ayde of Shyppes, and in Wynter they combat upon the Ise."

"Finns were reminded of the events of 1939, when the Soviet Union denied their country’s right to exist and attacked it in the Winter War. More than eighty years later, Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine did far more to sway opinion in Finland and Sweden than its questioning of their right to join NATO."

"Finland is deep sleep. (Erno Paasilinna)"

"It has always seemed odd to me and to the people of the United States to find Finland a partner of Nazi Germany, fighting side by side with the sworn enemies of our civilization. The Finnish people now have a chance to withdraw from this hateful partnership. The longer they stay at Germany's side the more sorrow and suffering is bound to come to them. I think I can speak for all Americans when I say that we sincerely hope Finland will now take the opportunity to disassociate herself from Germany."

"Finland is devil's land. (Russian proverb)"

"In America, parents can choose to take their kids to private schools. … In Finland parents can also choose. But the options are all the same."

"Our legislation in this area needed to be updated, and especially in light of France’s request for armed assistance after the attacks in Paris. We realized that our existing legislation was not flexible enough. We live in a fast changing world, and our laws on overseas military support must reflect new realities."

"There is faith in Finland. We have a strong history. We have always gotten our economy into shape, and there is still confidence in that abroad. There is faith that the government's measures are correct and that Finland will be able to get its economy onto a growth track and its public finances into order."

"This spring will be make-or-break for the Finnish economy. We’ll see Finland again move towards an economic miracle. In Finland we were used to increasing the size of the welfare state because we had so many people in the labour force"

"Finland is Finland and the birds fly; critics is impossible. (Pentti Saarikoski)"

"It was like discovering a complete wine-filled cellar filled with bottles of an amazing wine of a kind and flavor never tasted before. It quite intoxicated me…."

"Finland is a great country / and Russia is it's province. (Kaarlo Uskela)"

"We have issued all our warnings both publicly and through bilateral channels. They [Sweden and Finland] know about it, they will have nothing to be surprised about, they were informed about everything, what will it lead to."

"The snowy north is our fatherland; There our hearth crackles on the stormy beach. There our sinewy arm grew by the sword, There our chests burned with faith and honour.We watered our snorting horse in the Neva's bath; He swam across the Vistula as happy as to a feast, He carried our avenging steel over the Rhine, He drank the emperor's toast from the Danube.And if we ride forth over ash and gravel, From the hoofs spring sparks of light, Each cut like the blow of a hammer descends, And for the world a future day dawns.Take heart, you who dwell in darkness and chains! We’re coming, we’re coming, we will free your hand. Slaves do not sigh in our frosty North; Freeborn we ride into the field for God’s word.At Breitenfeld we took Pappenheim into our arms; We wrote on Kronenberg’s armour our name; We burnt Tilly’s beard grey at Lech; We bled with our King’s blood at Lützen’s hedge.And if we ride far from our northern track, To glowing grapes and bleeding wounds, Then the trumpets call the message of our victory. Cut them down, brave ranks! Forward! With us is God."