Finland's next president will be a pro-European globalist

FILE PHOTO: People vote in advance during the second round of the Finnish presidential election at a store in Espoo, Finland, on the last day of advance voting, February 6, 2024. Lehtikuva/Antti Aimo-Koivistovia REUTERS

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Whichever of the two remaining candidates wins Finland's presidential election on Sunday, the country's new head of foreign and security policy will be a pro-European cosmopolitan and strong supporter of Ukraine.

He will take on the role from incumbent Sauli Niinisto, who is retiring, in a new era for the country within NATO after it broke with decades of non-alignment to join the Western defence alliance in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.