Finnish President Sauli Niinistö on Thursday expressed "Finland's unwavering support" for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, in view of the tensions on its eastern border, where Russia has concentrated thousands of troops in recent days.
According to a statement made public by the Office of the President of the Republic, Niinistö held a telephone conversation with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday.
The call came just two days after another conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladmir Putin, in which Niinistö conveyed "serious concern" over the escalation.
According to information from the presidential office, Niinistö and Zelenski discussed the "possibilities to alleviate the tense situation on the Crimean peninsula and at the border between Russia and Ukraine."
"President Niinistö confirmed Finland's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement read.
Finland considers the implementation of the association and free trade agreements between the EU and Ukraine to be important.
'Crimean platform'
The Presidents also discussed Ukraine’s intention to establish the so-called Crimean Platform, an instrument launched by Kiev as a part of its strategy for de-occupation of the Crimea peninsula, which was annexed to Russia in 2014.
The platform aims to bring together heads of state and global leaders in favor of the return of Crimea to Ukraine. But the statement from the Finnish Presidential Office does not say whether Niinistö intends to participate in this 'platform'.
