Finnish President Alexander Stubb has called on European leaders to reestablish contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing the need for future dialogue as the war in Ukraine moves toward a possible resolution.
Speaking after meetings in London, Stubb said Finland and its allies must “mentally prepare” for a time when relations with Moscow will need to be restored.
“Nothing changes the fact that Russia is — and will always be — Finland’s neighbor,” he told reporters, as reported by Digi24.
A Role for France or the UK?
Stubb said that the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” — a group of roughly 30 countries supporting Ukraine — agreed during a recent summit that at least one European leader should speak directly with the Kremlin.
He suggested that France or the United Kingdom could take on that role. However, no timeline or specific names have been confirmed.
The summit, held in Paris on March 27, focused on post-war security guarantees for Ukraine, including a potential multinational troop presence. The United States did not participate in the meeting.
Ceasefire Proposal and Pressure on Moscow
Stubb, who recently met U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida, has advocated for a full ceasefire by April 20 — a date that marks three months into Trump’s second term.
He told Sky News he believes Trump will impose broad sanctions on Russia if it fails to comply, stating that the American leader “wants to end this war.”
The Kremlin responded cautiously. Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Putin remains open to “mutually respectful” ties with Finland but accused Helsinki and Stockholm of deepening NATO’s presence in the region — a move that has “reduced relations to zero.”
Finland’s Shifting Position
Finland shares the longest border between the European Union and Russia and joined NATO in 2023 in response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It closed its border crossings with Russia in December 2023 following an influx of asylum seekers.
While Stubb acknowledged the future need for dialogue, he emphasized that any renewal of ties would depend entirely on Russia ending its war against Ukraine and respecting future European security arrangements.
