Putin warned Finland
President Putin spoke by phone with his Finnish counterpart, warning his Nordic neighbor that he would make a mistake if he abandoned the policy of neutrality to join NATO.
“President Vladimir Putin emphasized that it would be wrong for Finland to abandon its traditional policy of military neutrality because its security does not face any threats,” the Kremlin announced on May 14. telephone conversation on the same day between the Russian President and his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto.
Putin said that the change in foreign policy in Helsinki could have a negative impact on Russia-Finland relations, which “have been developed over the years based on the spirit of good neighborliness and cooperation”.
The Russian president also informed his Finnish counterpart that the process of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine “almost stopped because Kiev has not shown its desire for serious and constructive dialogue”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a government meeting in Moscow on March 31. Image: Reuters.
Finland is the party that requested to hold a phone call between the leaders of the two countries, according to a statement from the Office of the President of Finland. Mr. Niinisto in a phone call informed Putin of his plan to apply for NATO membership in the next few days.
Helsinki argues that the way Moscow at the end of 2021 asked the West to block certain countries from joining NATO and the military operation in Ukraine since February has fundamentally changed the security environment for Finland. The Finnish president’s office said the prospect of joining NATO would be decided in the next few days.
According to Niinisto, the request made by Russia by the end of 2021 to prevent countries from joining NATO, as well as Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, has changed the security environment of Finland. He said Finland wants to handle its relationship with Russia “in a right and professional manner”.
“The dialogue is direct, frank and the parties are not uncomfortable talking to each other. The important goal is to avoid tension,” Mr. Niinisto shared on Twitter.
President Niinisto noted that he told President Putin during their first meeting in 2012 that every independent country wants to maximize its security and Finland is applying this principle in the current context. “By joining NATO, Finland will strengthen its security and assume more responsibility,” the office of the President of Finland said.
Mr. Niinisto reiterated his deep concern about the humanitarian situation in the war in Ukraine, and reaffirmed that peace is the greatest wish. He also conveyed a message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to President Putin, calling on Russia to assist in ensuring the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones.
Outside FinlandSweden is planning to join NATO. Moscow has repeatedly warned that it is ready to see the process of joining NATO of the two neighbors as a security threat, but has not specifically commented on how to react once this process is started.
Seven decades of NATO advance in Europe. Graphics: Statista. Click on the picture to see details.
Name (According to Reuters, AFP)
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