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Polish, Finnish FMs discuss Ukraine war

15.03.2024 07:30
Poland's Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen discussed bilateral ties and Russia's war against Ukraine when they met in Helsinki on Thursday.
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Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen meet in Helsinki on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen meet in Helsinki on Thursday, March 14, 2024.Photo: PAP/Rafał Guz

The Polish foreign ministry said in a statement that the two discussed "military aid to Ukraine, hybrid threats from Russia and Belarus, as well as preparations for the NATO summit in Washington."

According to the Polish foreign ministry, Sikorski and Valtonen talked about "bilateral relations, but also the key issue of security in Europe, including hybrid threats on the eastern borders of the European Union."

The two "agreed on the need to continue cooperation to combat hybrid activities exploiting migratory pressure," the statement said.

It added that another important topic of the talks was "the prospect of developing Polish-Finnish relations, including closer cooperation on energy, civil defense and in the defense industry."

Sikorski and Valtonen discussed further Western support for Ukraine, including "the involvement of both countries in comprehensive assistance" to the embattled country, according to the Polish foreign ministry.

Other topics on the agenda included "the situation in Ukraine and how it can develop in 2024," a plan to use "frozen Russian assets to support and rebuild Ukraine, as well as the issue of Russia's accountability for international crimes committed against Ukraine," the Polish foreign ministry said.

"It will be important to tighten and strengthen the sanctions system, as well as to introduce solutions allowing the use of frozen Russian assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine," the statement said.

Finland's Valtonen said in an X post that "Finland and Poland have good and increasingly close relations."

"We share the same security environment and are close partners bilaterally and in EU and NATO," she added.

While in Helsinki on Thursday, the Polish foreign minister also met with Finland's President Alexander Stubb.

Their talks focused on "the security situation in the region, assistance to Ukraine and bilateral cooperation," according to the Polish foreign ministry.

It said Sikorski's meetings with Valtonen and Stubb "confirmed that Poland and Finland speak with one voice on many important issues."

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, starting the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.

Friday is day 751 of Russias war on Ukraine.

(gs)

Source: IAR, gov.pl, PAP

Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek.