The global community must intensify its pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to initiate ceasefire discussions regarding Ukraine, Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stated to AFP on Monday.
Orpo, whose nation shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia, expressed that “without some form of force, Putin will not be motivated to seek a resolution. Therefore, we require heightened pressure.”
He emphasized that the international community should provide “sanctions, military assistance to Ukraine, additional military support, political backing—everything we can” to aid Ukraine in its defense against Russia.
Orpo made these comments during a meeting of Nordic prime ministers held in Finland.
His statements followed an announcement from Kyiv regarding Russia’s largest drone assault on Ukraine to date, occurring just hours after Donald Trump labeled Putin as “crazy” and cautioned about potential new sanctions if Moscow continued its lethal attacks.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere noted that there had been no signs of Russia expressing interest in a ceasefire in Ukraine thus far.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t observed any indication of that,” he told AFP.
“I am hopeful this will prompt the U.S. to be more explicit in its actions and apply pressure rather than withdraw,” he said, in light of Russia’s recent assaults on civilians.
He remarked that these attacks reveal Putin’s “lack of willingness… to genuinely engage in ceasefire or peace talks.”
