Finnish President: Time for Dialogue with Russia has Come; Europe Discusses Pushing for Negotiations
Finnish President Stubb stated that the time has come for dialogue with Russia. Foreign Minister Valtonen also suggested that Russia may be starting to show genuine interest in peace talks, leading to growing momentum for dialogue within the EU.
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- 📰 Published: May 13, 2026 at 22:16
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(Central News Agency, Helsinki, May 13) Finnish President Alexander Stubb said in an interview with Italian media on the 11th that it is now time for Europe to proactively initiate dialogue with Russia. On the same day, after attending the EU Foreign Ministers' meeting, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen judged that Russian President Vladimir Putin might be starting to have a genuine willingness for peace talks.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Stubb stated that European leaders are discussing who should contact the Kremlin, admitting that the timing for dialogue is currently uncertain.
Finnish national broadcaster Yle reported yesterday that Ukraine's continued strikes on Russian energy facilities and the extremely slow advance of Russian forces on the front line are significant. Last week's Victory Day parade in Russia was downscaled, and Russia even announced a temporary ceasefire, fearing that Ukraine would take the opportunity to attack. The common judgment among European diplomats is that, for the first time, time is on Ukraine's side.
After the meeting in Brussels, Valtonen told Finnish media that Russia has shown no real signs of negotiation so far and has been stalling. However, she judged that the situation is changing. "There is now a clear feeling that Russia is also starting to feel more pressure, as its economic situation weakens and its political cards are not as strong as they were a few months ago."
She pointed out that who serves as the EU's negotiator is a secondary issue at this stage; the priority is to build mutual trust between the two sides.
According to The Guardian, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas on the 11th blocked a proposal by Putin for former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder to represent Europe in the talks. Kallas bluntly stated that Schröder is a "senior lobbyist for Russian state-owned enterprises," as if he were "sitting on both sides of the negotiating table at the same time."
Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen expressed a different view in an interview with Yle after attending the EU Defense Ministers' meeting in Brussels. He said that while there are "some signals" from Russia, they are not yet clear, and Russia still has the capacity to continue fighting, making it premature to restart negotiations. Häkkänen emphasized that Europe must continue its long-term support for Ukraine so that Ukraine can have a strong position at the future negotiating table. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150513
In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Stubb stated that European leaders are discussing who should contact the Kremlin, admitting that the timing for dialogue is currently uncertain.
Finnish national broadcaster Yle reported yesterday that Ukraine's continued strikes on Russian energy facilities and the extremely slow advance of Russian forces on the front line are significant. Last week's Victory Day parade in Russia was downscaled, and Russia even announced a temporary ceasefire, fearing that Ukraine would take the opportunity to attack. The common judgment among European diplomats is that, for the first time, time is on Ukraine's side.
After the meeting in Brussels, Valtonen told Finnish media that Russia has shown no real signs of negotiation so far and has been stalling. However, she judged that the situation is changing. "There is now a clear feeling that Russia is also starting to feel more pressure, as its economic situation weakens and its political cards are not as strong as they were a few months ago."
She pointed out that who serves as the EU's negotiator is a secondary issue at this stage; the priority is to build mutual trust between the two sides.
According to The Guardian, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas on the 11th blocked a proposal by Putin for former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder to represent Europe in the talks. Kallas bluntly stated that Schröder is a "senior lobbyist for Russian state-owned enterprises," as if he were "sitting on both sides of the negotiating table at the same time."
Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen expressed a different view in an interview with Yle after attending the EU Defense Ministers' meeting in Brussels. He said that while there are "some signals" from Russia, they are not yet clear, and Russia still has the capacity to continue fighting, making it premature to restart negotiations. Häkkänen emphasized that Europe must continue its long-term support for Ukraine so that Ukraine can have a strong position at the future negotiating table. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150513