Helsinki – On Tuesday, February 18, Finnish and Swedish politicians underscored the importance of European interests in ongoing peace efforts as the U.S. and Russia held closed-door talks to end the war in Ukraine.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stated that European interests should be a vital part of Ukraine's peace efforts amid U.S.-Russia negotiations during a press conference in Helsinki. Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Stenergard also emphasized that nothing can be negotiated without Ukraine's involvement.
Orpo reiterated Finland's full support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, advocating for maximum support for Ukraine. Stenergard, speaking in Stockholm, echoed similar sentiments, stressing the importance of considering European interests in peace talks and noting that the U.S.-Russia meeting should not be considered negotiations due to Ukraine's exclusion.
These statements followed closed-door talks between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday.