Putin: There are no threats to Finland's security. A change in Helsinki's foreign policy course may have a negative impact on Russian-Finnish relations
Moscow. May 14. INTERFAX - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto discussed Helsinki's plans to join NATO and the situation in Ukraine during a telephone conversation, the Kremlin's press service reported on Saturday.
"A frank exchange of views was held in connection with the announced intention of the Finnish leadership to apply for NATO membership," the report said.
Putin stressed that "abandoning the traditional policy of military neutrality would be wrong, since there are no threats to Finland's security." "Such a change in the country's foreign policy course may have a negative impact on Russian-Finnish relations, which for many years have been built in the spirit of good-neighborliness and partnership, and have been mutually beneficial," the position of the Russian president is quoted in the message.
During the discussion of the situation in Ukraine, Putin, "in particular, shared assessments of the state of the negotiation process between Russian and Ukrainian representatives, which was actually suspended by Kiev, which does not show interest in a serious and constructive dialogue," the press service informs.
