Sat, 02 Jul, 2016 12:10:05 AM Niinistö- Putin meet in Kultaranta FTimes-Xinhua-STT Report, July 2
Putin described the losses Finland would suffer as a NATO country. He said that NATO would be keen on fighting against Russia "to the last Finnish soldier alive". He warned that Finnish defence forces would no longer be independent but be part of NATO infrastructure that would reach the Russian borders. The Russian President made the remarks at a joint press conference after holding talks with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinistö. He arrived at the Finnish president's summer residence Kultaranta in Naantali on Friday afternoon for a one-day working visit. On his part, Niinistö said small steps could be taken to enhance confidence, referring to the situation in Ukraine and the tension in the Baltic Sea area. Niinistö tied the possible dismantling of sanctions against Russia to the progress in peace talks on Ukraine crisis. Putin claimed that Russia never provokes, and he said the West created the situation in the Crimea and Ukraine through provocations. He said attempt is also being made to increase tension in the Baltic Sea.
The talks continued late over the dinner, in which Finnish and Russian ministers responsible for economic development and environment issues also took part.
Focusing on the situation in the region, Niinistö said that countries in the region should agree that no flight should carried out without transponders.
According to Putin, also NATO countries should not fly without transponders in the region. The Russian President said that Russia had pulled its troops 1500 kilometres away from the Finnish border, however, the situation may be changed, if Finland joins NATO.
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