President Alexander Stubb and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere spoke to the Russian president on Tuesday. Daily Maaseudun Tulevaisuus said the initiative had been long awaited, but European leaders had for too long merely watched and commented as Washington and Moscow pursued behind-the-scenes moves over Ukraine.
The newspaper said the call came as the United States and Russia continue to work on ending the war, while US President Donald Trump presses Kyiv to capitulate. Putin has said the issue goes beyond Ukraine to the security architecture of all Europe, including NATO’s presence on its eastern flank.
The Finnish president’s office said Stubb and Stoere acted “as leaders of their countries [bordering Russia], and not as representatives of Europe”.
The paper noted that no EU-level discussion with the Kremlin has been organised, despite long-standing calls for a common European voice on security. Norway, which is not an EU member, could speak for the bloc only with a separate mandate, it added, concluding that the two leaders had not won the full backing of key European capitals.
Former Finnish president Sauli Niinisto, who has spoken to Putin many times and was seen as having good relations with him, told the paper that broad criticism of the call was not needed now.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, cited by news portal Delfi, said the initiative was part of support for Ukraine ahead of three-way peace talks planned for November in Abu Dhabi.
“One cannot have any illusions - Putin will change course only under pressure, but this cannot be expected from telephone conversations”, Michal said.
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Source: PAP