Finnish Foreign Minister Väinö Tanner speaks to American radio listeners

At the post to which I have been called, I have to try to the best of my ability to act in such a manner that Finland, which wishes to carry out works of peace, might as soon as possible see her relations with the Soviet Union become once again peaceful. I repeat here what I said yesterday to certain foreign correspondents: the Finnish government will not refuse to take part in negotiations for the restoration of peace. Nevertheless, anyone who believes that the Finnish people can be brought by the threat of force, and the terror already launched, to make concessions that would denote in reality the loss of their independence, is mistaken.

We shall defend ourselves against such forcible methods and we cannot bring ourselves to believe that the civilized Western world will not find some means which are more powerful than its invaluable sympathy. When these means are found, liberty-loving nations all over the world can be certain that Finland’s independence will be preserved and that the sphere of liberty will not be threatened by a shrinkage in this corner of the world.