Finnish leader: Europe will eventually need to normalize ties with Russia

European leaders are aligned in the belief that, at some point, it will be essential to normalize relations with Russia.

This was confirmed by Finnish President Alexander Stubb in an interview with German media, per Caliber.Az.

When asked whether rapprochement with Russia is part of Europe’s future agenda, Stubb responded, "In the long-term, yes, this is the case," but he pointed out that "it will depend on whether a ceasefire can be achieved and peace negotiations begin."

"I think we are at a point where European leaders are united in the view that, at some point, there will be rapprochement, but it must happen in close coordination with our allies. And, in my humble opinion, it should first and foremost happen in close coordination with France, the United Kingdom, and finally with Germany," said Stubb.

Stubb also noted that Finland does not perceive "a direct military threat from Russia."

"My recommendation in any kind of threat analysis is: stop predicting the future, because we don’t know what will happen," he said, urging that attention instead be focused on strengthening the armed forces and fortifying defense in order to prevent "anything bad" from happening.

By Tamilla Hasanova