Russia supports any steps aimed at restoring relations with European countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. He commented on his telephone conversation with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
“Russia supports any steps aimed at restoring relations with European countries“, Putin said, quoted by Reuters.
Warning of possible war
At the same time, the Russian president said that Moscow is ready for a possible war with Europe, although it does not want such a conflict. Putin warned that if tensions escalate too much, there will be no winners.
The message combines a request to restore dialogue with a warning to European countries about the consequences of further escalation. The statement did not specify specific deadlines or steps for resuming relations.
The Baltic Sea as a separate zone of tension
Putin stressed that Moscow does not want a situation similar to the one in the Strait of Hormuz to arise in the Baltic Sea. The comparison is related to the risk of seriously restricting shipping and the free movement of vessels in a strategic maritime area.
Finland and Norway are members of NATO, and the conversation with their leaders took place against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between Russia and European countries. It is not clear from Putin's statement whether the phone calls led to any concrete agreements.
The Russian president presented the restoration of relations as a possible goal, but at the same time warned that in the event of excessive escalation, the military clash would be without a winner. Additional details about the content of the talks with Stubb and Støre were not disclosed.
Sources: bta.bg