New Delhi [India], October 5 (ANI): Finland has backed India’s diplomatic efforts to push for negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war, with Finnish Ambassador to India Mikko Kivikoski saying the global community needs to incentivise Moscow to come to the negotiating table and make a genuine push to end the conflict.
Speaking to ANI, Finnish Ambassador Kivikoski said Helsinki highly appreciates the latest initiatives being taken by the Indian government in the context of efforts to end the war.
“When it comes to Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, we are in a situation where everybody else is ready to negotiate to end the war, except the Russians. So it means that the global community needs to incentivise Russia to come to the negotiations and make a real push to end the war,” the Ambassador said.
“In this context, all the activities are highly appreciated, and of course, the latest activities that the Indian government is taking are highly appreciated from our side,” the envoy added.
The Finnish Ambassador’s remarks assume significance as India has consistently called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict and has maintained that there can be no solution on the battlefield.
The envoy, whose country shares a long border with Russia, also said Moscow’s war in Ukraine had significantly altered Finland’s security environment and strategic outlook.
“Russia’s illegal war has changed the security environment for Finland,” the Ambassador said.
Highlighting the impact of the conflict on Finnish public opinion, the envoy said there had been a dramatic shift in attitudes towards NATO membership following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Ambassador said an opinion poll conducted three days before the war showed that 70 per cent of Finns were against NATO membership, while a similar poll conducted three days after the war began showed that 70 per cent were in favour of joining NATO.
“So, obviously, there have been big changes. For any government leadership, the most important things are to provide security for your people, for your country, and also prosperity for your people and country. And in Finland, we take the security issues seriously,” the Ambassador said.
Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, joined NATO in April 2023 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. (ANI)
Finland backs India’s diplomatic push for negotiations to end Ukraine war
