Sat, 09 Jul, 2016 12:01:14 AM Niinistö- Poroshenko meet in Warsaw FTimes – STT Report, Jul 9  President Sauli Niinistö and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko. File Photo Lehtikuva. President Sauli Niinistö on Friday presumed that constructive attempts are underway to resolve the Ukrainian crisis.
He made the remarks after a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko at the NATO summit in Warsaw.
Niinistö referred to recent confidential talks which had taken place between him and Russian president Vladimir Putin. He said that Putin’s tone reflected an apparent desire to cooperate.
“I have met president Putin quite a few times during these years, but these are only my own readings,” Niinistö said.
Niinistö and Putin met on July 1 in Finland at the Finnish Pesident´s summer residence Kultaranta in Naantali.
Niinistö said he was surprised how positive it was that Putin took his proposal of the use of aircraft transponders in the Baltic region on board.
The matter on the use of transponders will be on the agenda on Wednesday during the NATO-Russia Council meeting.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (L), Finland's President Sauli Niinistö (C) and Poland's President Andrzej Duda (R), pose for a picture prior to the opening of the NATO summit on July 8, 2016 in Warsaw, Poland. Photo AFP-Lehtikuva. According to Niinistö, the summit will provide an opportunity to gauge how seriously the proposal is made on each side.
“But this is itself a big issue because in my view it can be read whether there is desire to dismantle tension,” said Niinistö.
Reflecting on his meeting with Poroshenko, Niinistö did not take a position on whether Poreshenko has premise to push through required reforms in the Minsk Agreement.
Russia has called into question the ability of Poroshenko to push through the reforms. The West has also expressed concern whether he has sufficiently strong position to promote the peace process.
Poroshenko has to push through a legislation which paves way for organising of local elections in separatist areas, among other things.
Niinistö refused to be drawn on the matter pointing out that the issue was very much a Ukrainian internal affair.
The President also revealed he had discussed with Poroshenko, among other things, Ukrainian measures to eradicate corruption.
“Poroshenko reiterated measures which he said he had been successful to execute,” Niinistö said.
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