Putin speaks to Finnish President Niinistö amid Nordic country's intention to join NATO

Amid the ongoing war in Eastern Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday held a telephonic conversation with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinistö. The Kremlin said in a statement that an open discussion took place between both leaders in response to Finland's intention to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). During the discussion, Putin stated that Finland's refusal of the traditional policy of military neutrality would be a mistake since there are no significant threats to its security.

"Such a change in the country's foreign policy may have a negative impact on Russian-Finnish relations, which for many years have been built in the spirit of good neighbourliness and partnership cooperation, and were mutually beneficial," Putin added.

As per Kremlin, both leaders also discussed the situation in Ukraine. Putin told Niinistö that negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv were actually "suspended due to the lack of interest of the Ukrainian side in a constructive dialogue." Notably, the delegations of Russia and Ukraine have held several rounds of peace negotiations but they have failed to yield the desired result so far. Meanwhile, in late April, Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov that the delegations of both nations are debating the draft of a possible treaty via videoconferencing on a daily basis.

Finland will decide on its NATO membership in the coming days: Niinistö told Putin

During the phone call, Finland's President Sauli Niinistö informed his Russian counterpart Putin that the Nordic country will decide on its NATO membership in the coming days. "President Niinistö told President Putin how fundamentally the Russian demands in late 2021 aiming at preventing countries from joining NATO and Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have altered the security environment of Finland," Niinistö's office said in a statement, CNN reported. Niinistö also recalled his first meeting with Putin in 2012 where he claimed to have told the Russian leader that every sovereign nation enhances its security, and "this is what is happening now as well."

Finland's President & PM firmly support country's potential bid for NATO membership

It is significant to mention here that Findland's President, as well as the Prime Minister, issued a joint statement on Thursday, May 12, about the country's possible membership in NATO. In their statement, President Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin supported the country's potential bid for NATO membership. Both leaders stated that Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay as this would further bolster the country's security.