RTSat, 14 May 2022 13:57 UTC
© Martin Lengemann/WELT/ullstein bild/KJNFinnish President Sauli Niinisto • Russian President Vladimir Putin
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine has been "de facto suspended" by Kiev, President Vladimir Putin has said. He made the remarks during
a phone call with his Finnish counterpart, Sauli Niinisto, on Saturday.The discussion focused on Finland's push for NATO membership, which has been reinvigorated amid the Ukrainian crisis. According to the Finnish president's office,
Niinisto told Putin that his country is set to make a decision on joining the US-led military bloc within days.The Kremlin said in a statement:
"Vladimir Putin, in particular, shared his assessment of the state of the negotiation process between Russian and Ukrainian representatives, which has been de facto suspended by Kiev, which has not shown interest in a serious and meaningful dialogue."
Putin warned that
Helsinki's move to abandon its "traditional policy of military neutrality" would be a "mistake," stressing that there were "no threats to Finland's security." The move "may have a negative impact" on "mutually beneficial" relations between the two countries, he outlined.
Finland's neighbor Sweden, is also considering a NATO membership, and could lodge its application as early as Monday, according to local media reports.
Russia attacked Ukraine in late February, following Kiev's failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, first signed in 2014, and Moscow's eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. The German- and French-brokered protocols were designed to give the breakaway regions special status within the Ukrainian state.
The Kremlin has since demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the two republics by force.
Comment: Finnish President goes direct:
Niinistö told his plans to the Swedish news agency TT in an interview published on Friday afternoon and said he wanted to address the matter directly by talking to his Russian colleague.
"I'm not the kind of person who just slips around the corner. I am going to call him and say that the situation has changed, as we both know."
The two leaders have been in regular contact over the past decade and usually met twice a year before the pandemic. They last met face-to-face in Moscow last October after a two-year hiatus.
What will
talks produce?
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu conducted their first phone call since the start of Moscow's operation in Ukraine in late February. The news was confirmed by both sides on Friday.
Austin has called for an "immediate ceasefire in Ukraine," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said.
According to Kirby, Austin also "emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication" after nearly three months without contact with his Russian counterpart.
The Russian Ministry of Defense later on Friday confirmed the call, noting that the pair discussed issues of international security, including but not limited to the situation in Ukraine.
France denies Ukrainian claims:
French President Emmanuel Macron has "never" asked Volodymyr Zelensky to make territorial concessions to end the ongoing conflict with Russia, contrary to statements by the Ukrainian leader, the Elysee has insisted.
During a Thursday interview with Italian broadcaster Rai 1, Zelensky accused Macron of suggesting that an effort should be made to "look for a way out for Russia" so that the fighting in Ukraine could stop. When asked about his French counterpart's warning that Europe must avoid humiliating Putin, he said:
"Proposing to us to give up something of our sovereignty to save [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's face doesn't seem right coming from some leaders. It is a waste of time."
The French presidency responded to those claims on Friday, insisting that Macron
"has never asked for concessions from Zelensky. He has always said that it is up to the Ukrainians to decide the terms of their negotiations with the Russians. The President of the Republic has never discussed anything with Vladimir Putin without the agreement of President Zelensky."
Macron remains one of very few Western leaders who has continued direct dialogue with Putin amid the conflict in Ukraine. However, he also insisted on stepping up sanctions against Moscow, including tougher restrictions on Russian energy, and has authorized shipments of weapons to Kiev.
Meanwhile, the bulk of the West sits back and gawks at the deadly spectacle they created and support.
Comment: Finnish President goes direct: What will talks produce? France denies Ukrainian claims: Meanwhile, the bulk of the West sits back and gawks at the deadly spectacle they created and support.