Finland's Foreign Ministry urged Trump not to rush to establish peace in Ukraine

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Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said that US President Donald Trump should not rush to conclude an agreement with Russia on the conflict in Ukraine.

According to her, resolving the crisis concerns not only Kiev, but also the security of all European countries. Therefore, Europe should convince the US that it is necessary to conclude a "solid peace" and not a "quick agreement".

"It is more important than ever to talk openly with our partners in the US about this issue. Trump and his team must understand that negotiations with Russia are not only about Ukraine, but also about the security of the whole of Europe. There can be no quick agreement, but only a long process, which will take several years, and at the end of which a lasting peace will be established," he told the German publication RND.

According to Valtonen, Russia should be forced to sit at the negotiating table through external pressure. He also added that "Europe must learn to show strength" to maintain peace.

The Finnish minister also recalled that sanctions against Russia should be maintained even after the conflict is over.

Putin and Trump may reach an agreement on Ukraine by Easter or May 9

The Financial Times reported that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could reach an agreement on ending the war in Ukraine by Easter, which falls on April 20, or by May 9.


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“Putin wants to reach an agreement on one of these important days,” the publication quotes a Ukrainian official as saying.

According to sources close to Putin, the president’s main goal is to create a new security system that would provide Russia with a position similar to a sphere of influence in Europe. This is expected to be similar to the opportunities that the Yalta Conference gave the Soviet Union at the end of World War II.

“The current situation looks more favorable for Putin than at any other time during the three-year war,” says Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Eurasia Center in Berlin.

He stressed that if the US stops providing military and diplomatic support to Ukraine, as well as intelligence sharing, Kiev will find itself in a very difficult situation.

This does not guarantee a way out of the crisis, even if European countries become more involved, he said. Follow “Zamin” news on “Telegram”