Finland Times

 

File picture of President Sauli Niinistö (R) and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Photo – Lehtikuva.

President Sauli Niinistö on Monday had a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and discussed various issues including the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and bilateral relations between the neighbouring countries, president’s office sources said.

 

The Finnish president initiated the telephone conversation at a time when, according to Niinistö, the crisis in Ukraine affected the relations between the two nations.

 

“Russia’s actions during the Ukraine crisis have an effect on the way relations between Russia and Finland are conducted, but communication would continue at various levels,” said Niinistö, according to a release issued by the president’s office.

 

Niinistö said he hopes that Russia would support democratic presidential elections being held in Ukraine, the release added.

 

Countries in the European Union have limited their contact with Russia due to the Ukraine crisis.

 

Niinistö had already said in April that Finland would continue to maintain diplomatic contacts with Russia all the time and the issue was confirmed when Niinistö made the initiative to call Moscow.

 

Earlier, in winter, Niinistö had planned to visit Russia in the spring in which he was expected to meet Putin. Nothing more about the visit, however, has been heard since then.

 

Niinistö visited Russia during the winter Olympics in Sochi and prior to the games he had visited the country in September.

 

In an interview with the Hufvudstadsbladet, a Swedish-language newspaper in Finland back in December, Niinistö expressed his concern that Russia was against the western liberal way of thinking. He pointed out that the situation was still the same during Putin’s first term as a president.

 

Back in December Niinistö reflected how development affects Russia’s relationship with other countries.

 

The president then said that Finland and EU had hoped for a better relationship with Russia but a change in attitude affects the relationship between the two countries.