Sauli Niinistö, the former president of Finland, has urged the European Union to establish direct communication channels with Russian President Vladimir Putin to advocate for a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.

In remarks made to the Finnish state broadcaster Yle on Monday, Niinistö expressed his perplexity regarding the European stance of refusing to engage with what they label a war criminal, while former President Trump is able to have discussions with him, leading to Europe needing to listen in on those conversations.

He further noted a concern that such dialogues might occur without European involvement, suggesting that Europe should engage in its own discussions similarly to Trump.

Niinistö held the presidency from 2012 to 2024 and played a pivotal role in Finland’s accession to NATO following Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine.

However, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen countered Niinistö’s suggestion, asserting that the time for direct talks with Putin has not yet arrived, given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and a perceived disinterest from the Kremlin in authentic peace talks. She emphasized that engaging in dialogue merely for its own sake is not the objective.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen supported Valtonen’s viewpoint, indicating that any potential future interactions with Russia should be carefully coordinated within the EU framework.

As Orpo articulated, “We are stronger when we speak with a unified voice.”

Earlier this year, Finnish President Alexander Stubb remarked that Helsinki should begin to “mentally prepare” for the restoration of relations with Russia once the war in Ukraine concludes. In response, the Kremlin indicated that Putin would be receptive to establishing “mutually beneficial and respectful” relations with Finland, should Helsinki express a desire for the same.