President Sauli Niinistö has said that he will keep all necessary lines of communication with Russian leaders open at least as long as the European Union remains divided over the implications of the ban on meetings with Russian officials it introduced last week.
Niinistö offered his views on the repercussions of the ongoing tensions in Ukraine on Monday, before the start of an international nuclear safety summit in The Hague, the Netherlands.
In his assessment of meetings with Russia, Niinistö called attention to the divergent interpretations of the European Council's recommendation that the member states of the European Union refrain from holding bilateral “regular summits” with Russia.
“If we live in a world of interpretations with respect to a matter that is important to Finland, my interpretation is that important Finnish interests must be protected,” the President phrased. He declined to speculate on how Finland would act if the European Union were unanimous on the issue.
“We have no Nato, but we have upheld the security of our neighbour relations through bilateral communication,” Niinistö emphasised.
In regard to the situation in Ukraine, Niinistö reiterated what he and Xi Jinping, the President of China, underlined on Sunday – that all parties should refrain from speculation and concentrate their resources on diplomatic efforts.
Niinistö similarly refused to comment on the estimate of Philip Breedlove, Nato's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, that Russia has the necessary military capacity stationed at the Ukrainian border to seize control over eastern and southern Ukraine.
“Even if the comment by the Commander turns out not to be speculation, views and concerns such as this are specifically why it is absolutely crucial to approach the situation with firm diplomatic means.”
Niinistö also insisted that the fact that General Breedlove had on behalf of Nato referred to Russia as an enemy for the first time in over twenty years is unlikely to have any immediate impact on Finland. “As for Finland, nothing has transpired that would somehow alter our fundamental approach,” he asserted.
Kari Huhta – HS
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
© HELSINGIN SANOMAT
Photo: Roni Rekomaa / Lehtikuva
