Finland's Foreign Minister Considers Talks with Russia Premature

The time has not yet come to begin peace talks with Russia, despite internal discussions within the European Union regarding a possible resumption of diplomatic contacts. This was stated by Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.

The head of Finland’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that before any dialogue, EU countries must first clearly agree on common goals and a unified course of action—an area in which the European community has already made significant progress. 

Most European leaders, including Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, share the view that such steps would be premature. Valtonen noted that the actual resumption of communication depends directly on the dynamics on the front lines and the overall situation in Ukraine, but the main criterion must be a genuine desire for peace on the part of Moscow itself. At present, the Kremlin is showing no signs of such readiness, even though its military and economic situation has deteriorated significantly. At the same time, the minister expressed her conviction that sooner or later Russia will be forced to seek a solution through diplomacy, and one of the key forums for a detailed analysis of this geopolitical situation will be the July NATO summit in Turkey.

She made these remarks in an interview with Yle.

European Council President António Costa is attempting to establish a private channel of communication with the Kremlin to engage Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in discussions on the terms for ending the war in Ukraine. According to journalists, Costa’s chief adviser has already held two closed-door telephone conversations with a high-ranking Russian official from Putin’s inner circle. The purpose of these preliminary contacts is to test the waters and lay the groundwork for possible substantive negotiations in the future. 

The EU explained why the President of the European Council had been secretly in contact with the Kremlin.