Finland's former president Sauli Niinistö, during whose term the country joined NATO, said today that Europeans should follow the example of US President Donald Trump and talk directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin, DPA reported, BTA reported.
"It's someway absurd that Europeans say they won't talk to Putin, who is a war criminal," Niinistö told Finnish public broadcaster "Jule" at an event in Helsinki yesterday evening.
Instead, Trump is talking to Putin, and Europeans should listen to what was discussed afterwards. "We are a little worried that they are talking about Europe without the Europeans being involved in the conversation," he said, adding that it would be wise for the bloc's member states to hold these talks themselves.
Niinistö, who was Finland's head of state from 2012 to 2024, was seen as an important link between the European Union and Putin, DPA noted.
Despite rising tensions with Moscow, Niinistö has long tried to maintain constant contact with the Kremlin, even speaking by phone with Putin in the weeks after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Finland is also a member of the European Union and shares the longest border with Russia of any EU or NATO country.