"European integration has been the answer to the experiences of the Second World War. The Finnish approach to integration must also be seen against the background of events that took place over six decades ago."
"In late summer 1939 Germany and the Soviet Union agreed on a division of Europe into spheres of influence. The following winter Finland had to fight off an attack by the Red Army in order to preserve her independence and avoid being occupied by the Soviet Union. We had to do this alone, without significant outside help."
"Five years later, in the summer of 1944, we again managed to stop the Red Army's attempts to conquer Finland. Our country was not occupied at any stage, during or after the war. We lost part of our territory, but we achieved a defensive victory. We held on to our independence as well as our democratic political system and our economic system."
"For us the world war meant a separate war against the Soviet Union and we did not incur any debt of gratitude to others. The post-war period was difficult in Finland, as it was all over Europe. We were nevertheless able to follow a different path from the other countries on the western border of the Soviet Union. The Cold War was not always easy for our nation, but it was not a traumatic time."
