Finland’s President Alexander Stubb urged the UK to “sort itself out” as Nato allies met for a challenging summit in Ankara, Turkey, telling BBC Newsnight: “Just sort yourself out, please. We need you.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting on Tuesday, Stubb said the message for the UK was to “stay British” and “stay calm,” adding it was “very important” to have a strong and stable United Kingdom in Europe and beyond.

Stubb framed the comments around what he called the “precarious” state of global politics and stressed the urgency of challenges confronting liberal democracies, without detailing a specific policy agenda.

The remarks came shortly before US President Donald Trump’s arrival at the summit, in the context of heightened tension within the alliance, including Trump-related criticism of allies over defence spending and broader comments touching on security and European coordination.

Stubb’s message also reflected a wider concern among European partners about maintaining steady political leadership while Nato grapples with decisions on defence priorities and long-term support for Ukraine, alongside questions about European independence from Washington.