{"id":130,"date":"2025-09-16T08:17:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T08:17:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ilovepoland.fi\/?p=130"},"modified":"2025-10-02T21:16:26","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T21:16:26","slug":"the-polish-ambassadors-historic-finnish-language-appearance-on-yle-tv1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ilovepoland.fi\/?p=130","title":{"rendered":"The Polish Ambassador\u2019s Historic Finnish-Language Appearance on YLE TV1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A historic moment was witnessed this weekend in Yleisradio\u2019s new <\/strong>Yle Sunnuntai<\/strong><\/em> discussion programme. Poland\u2019s Ambassador to Finland, Tomasz Ch\u0142o\u0144, gave a long interview of around ten minutes in Finnish<\/strong>. It is likely that no foreign ambassador has ever before appeared on Finnish television speaking fluent Finnish \u2013 let alone in a lengthy discussion that also addressed security policy and economic relations.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ambassador Ch\u0142o\u0144 did not settle for light pleasantries, but spoke effortlessly to the Finnish audience about even difficult subjects:security policy, economic relations, and Russia\u2019s growing pressure<\/strong>. <\/strong>The conversation with YLE\u2019s journalist focused on the dramatic events of recent days, when Russia sent 21 drones into Polish airspace in a single night<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poland shot down some of the aircraft with the support of other NATO countries. According to Ch\u0142o\u0144, this operation demonstrated that both Poland\u2019s own defence and NATO\u2019s response work effectively. He described the incident as clearly hostile and deliberate action by Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne, two, or even three drones would not be surprising, but 21 came into Poland in a single night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Ambassador, Russian drones will not plunge Poland into fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are not afraid. We are in NATO and we have a strong army of our own,\u201d the head of the Polish mission in Helsinki explained in fluent Finnish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Ahtisaari Moment\u201d Symbolises Hope in Crisis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the interview, Ch\u0142o\u0144 stressed that NATO\u2019s response to the drone attacks reminded him of President Martti Ahtisaari<\/strong>. He used the phrase \u201cthe Ahtisaari moment\u201d<\/em>, referring to the fact that even in crises there are always elements of hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Friday, NATO announced the start of an operation named Eastern Sentry<\/strong>, through which several allied countries \u2013 including Denmark, Germany and France \u2013 will provide Poland with fighter jets and other defence equipment. According to Ch\u0142o\u0144, this support came quickly and was sufficient in its entirety. \u201cIt means that there are elements of hope in a crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Zapad Exercise and NATO\u2019s Iron Defender<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The YLE interview also dealt with ongoing military exercises. Russia and Belarus began at the weekend the Zapad exercise<\/strong>,<\/strong> held once every four years and involving some 30,000 soldiers. The exercise includes simulations of destroying NATO forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, on the Polish side, NATO\u2019s Iron Defender<\/strong> exercise is underway, with a similar participation of about 30,000 soldiers. Ch\u0142o\u0144 assured YLE that the situation is not seen as particularly tense in Poland: \u201cWe are ready. NATO allies are involved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Ambassador Who Wants to Speak the Language of Finns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What makes Ch\u0142o\u0144\u2019s appearance unique, however, is not only the content but also the language<\/strong>. Never before in Finland has a foreign ambassador appeared so extensively on television in Finnish \u2013 especially when the topics of discussion were current issues of international politics and economics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usually foreign envoys rely on English or an interpreter. This time the Polish diplomat addressed Finns in their own language \u2013 fluently and convincingly. This makes the case exceptional also in the history of Finnish diplomacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ch\u0142o\u0144\u2019s decision to appear in Finnish on television can be seen as a gesture to bring Poland closer to Finns. The connection between the Polish and Finnish audience was built this time without an intermediary language, which made the message more direct and natural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not only a matter of language skills, but also of political messaging: Poland wants to show that it is close to Finland both in values and in practical security cooperation \u2013 while also highlighting new opportunities for cooperation with Poland, which is experiencing strong economic growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read More:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n