Finland Says It Will Not Mediate in Ukraine War Because It Stands With Kyiv

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said on Monday that her country has no ambition to act as a mediator in the war in Ukraine, because it supports Kyiv and intends to keep doing so. She spoke at a press conference in Helsinki alongside her Ukrainian and Norwegian counterparts, as reported by European Pravda.

Valtonen was responding to questions about a phone call held on 27 October between Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. "Finland is not seeking a role to mediate in this war because we are and will remain on the side of Ukraine," she said.

The minister added that Helsinki is not trying to find ways to repair its relations with Russia. Instead, she said, Finland wants to move forward efforts aimed at achieving peace.

Valtonen also criticized Moscow's conduct. "Unfortunately, Russia has not ended its war, but they keep escalating," she said. According to her, Finland is backing both Ukraine and the US-led peace process, with the goal of ending the killing. She referred not only to the deaths of soldiers on the battlefield, but specifically to civilians who suffer in their homes in Ukrainian cities and elsewhere.

The call with Putin was made on the initiative of Stubb and Støre themselves. Stubb described the conversation as "frank and substantive".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the two leaders discussed measures to reduce escalation in the war during the call, in particular concerning energy and infrastructure.

The call has drawn scepticism in Europe. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she is highly doubtful about what it could achieve. She also said the conversation had not been coordinated with other European countries.