The summit of the world's 20 largest economies will be held on November 22-23 in Johannesburg. According to the Finnish president – considered one of the European politicians who has the best relations with US President Donald Trump – “background negotiations” are ongoing with the participation of various leaders, and the presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Kasym-Jomart Tokayev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, will soon visit the White House. In addition, Tokayev will meet Putin in the Kremlin on November 12.
The article continues below the video
When will the G20 summit take place in South Africa?
What topics did the President of Finland discuss during his visit to Central Asia?
Who will meet Putin in the Kremlin on November 12?
What missiles did Ukraine want to receive from the US?
— Central Asian countries could act as potential links between the White House and the Kremlin, Stubb emphasized. At the end of October, the President of Finland traveled to Central Asia, including official visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. He talked with the leaders of these countries about Russia's war against Ukraine, “geopolitics and its regional impact on Europe and Central Asia” and about “cooperation towards a multilateral system.”
Stubb, who, according to tradition, took part in the inauguration of the national defense course in Helsinki on Monday, recalled that in recent months there had been talks between Trump and Putin (August 15 in Alaska) and between Trump and Zelensky (October 18 in Washington). The aim of both these meetings and negotiations with the participation of allies is to develop a “plan for Ukraine”, starting with a ceasefire and providing security guarantees to Kiev.
“It's important to limit Russia's capabilities”
According to Stubb, it is now crucial that Ukraine can defend itself as best as possible, regardless of whether the US gives it Tomahawk cruise missiles, enabling attacks deep inside Russia. Zelensky sought these missiles, but Trump has not yet agreed to provide them to Ukraine. It is also important – emphasized the Finnish president – to limit Russia's ability to produce missiles that kill civilians in Ukraine.
In Stubb's opinion, Trump adopted a new tactic in negotiations with Putin and “reached for the stick because the carrot didn't work in the case of Russia.” In recent weeks, Trump imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil and their subsidiaries and canceled a planned meeting with Putin in Budapest.
