Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is ready to resume dialogue with Moscow if Russia ceases its military actions against Ukraine. Currently, this is impossible; however, such a situation cannot last forever, Orpo stated in an interview with the publication Iltalehti on the evening of Monday, January 26.
Russia borders Finland, so communication with it will have to be resumed at some point, but that moment has not yet arrived, said Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in an interview with the publication Iltalehti.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is ready to resume dialogue with Moscow if Russia ceases its military actions against Ukraine. Currently, this is impossible; however, such a situation cannot last forever, Orpo stated in an interview with Iltalehti on the evening of Monday, January 26.
"Russia is our border neighbor, and of course, if we manage to stop this military aggression, at some point, communication channels will need to be opened, but now is not the time," the Finnish Prime Minister pointed out. According to him, if necessary, he would sit down at the table with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who unleashed the war against Ukraine and has been indicted in absentia by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
It is up to Putin to advance the peace settlement in Ukraine, emphasized Petteri Orpo. "For Finland, it is clear that resuming dialogue with Russia is extremely difficult as long as the war continues," he added, stressing that the decision on the format and timing of the resumption should be made jointly with European partners.
Finnish Prime Minister: China can influence Russia
In an interview given by the politician ahead of his visit to China, he assured that he would raise the issue of a peaceful settlement in Ukraine during his meeting with the leadership of the People's Republic of China, as Russia's war against this country is the "biggest security problem." "If anyone can influence Russia, it is China. The fact that China supports Russia in the war undermines the security of Europe, as well as Finland and our relations," Petteri Orpo believes.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the Finnish authorities have been strengthening security measures at the border with Russia. In addition, Finland has joined NATO and is taking other steps, including banning Russians from acquiring real estate on its territory.
