He achieved the reversal of Finland's foreign policy into a neutralist pro-Scandinavian stance, and a Swedish rapprochement, that may well have been prepared for in the most initiated circles, but that in the contemporary tense phase of the language strife in Finland was not at all easy to explain to the public opinion.
Han opnåede at ændre Finlands udenrigspolitik i retning af en neutral pro-skandinavisk holdning og udsoning med Sverige, som nok blev forberedt i de inderste cirkler, men som i datidens intense fase af sprogstriden i Finland ikke var let at forklare for offentligheden.