— It is clear that a war criminal like Putin, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court, should not be welcome on EU territory said Valtonen.
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Her words are a reaction to reports about the planned meeting of the leaders of Russia and the US, which would take place in Hungary. Valtonen spoke during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
“Ukraine does not need help to capitulate”
The Finnish minister also referred to information about the Kremlin's alleged demands to recognize the handing over of Donbas to Russia as a condition for peace.
— Ukraine does not need Western help to surrender any kind of capitulation, but to defend itself strongly – she emphasized.
In her opinion the best path to peace is to further strengthen Ukraine's potential.
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— The best way to do this is to strengthen Ukraine. Ukraine has proven its capabilities not only in a strong defense fight, but also in the development of one of the most competitive arms industries, which benefits everyone — she said, quoted by the STT agency.
A clear signal from northern Europe
The Finnish minister's statement is in line with the tough stance of the Nordic countries towards Russia and emphasizes that Putin's presence in the EU – despite Hungarian initiatives – would be contrary to the values and obligations of the community, including the decisions of the International Criminal Court.
These words were spoken a few days after US President Donald Trump announced that he intended to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest soon. As Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban emphasized, his country is ready to organize a summit of both leaders. The heads of the foreign ministries of the US and Russia are also expected to discuss a potential meeting.
