Kiev [Ukraine], November 12: Finland's former president, a politician who led his country into NATO, said the Europeans should follow US President Donald Trump's example and speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"It is somewhat absurd that Europeans say they will not talk to Putin, a war criminal," Sauli Niinisto told Finnish broadcaster Yle at an event in Helsinki on Monday evening.
Instead, Trump is talking to Putin, and Europeans have to listen to what has been discussed afterwards.
"We are somewhat concerned that they are talking about Europe over Europe's head," Niinisto said. It might be wise to hold these talks ourselves, he suggested.
The former president, who was Finland's head of state from 2012 to 2024, was considered an important contact between the European Union and Putin. Despite increasing tensions with Moscow, Niinisto had long tried to keep the lines of communication open with the Kremlin - he had even spoken to Putin by phone in the weeks following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Finland is also an EU member, and has the longest border with Russia of any EU or NATO country.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army has withdrawn from five villages in the southern region of Zaporizhzhya after intense fighting with Russian troops.
North-east of the city of Huliaipole, the villages of Yablukove, Rivnopillia, and Solodke were also heavily contested, the Army Group South said on Facebook on Tuesday.
The order to withdraw was given after the "de facto destruction of all shelters and fortifications" following intensive artillery fire.
Military observers had previously reported a Russian breakthrough on this section of the front and the Russian army had claimed the conquest of several locations.
Ukraine has been resisting the Russian invasion for more than three and a half years.
Source: Qatar Tribune