Office of the President of the Republic
Press Release 24/2014
19 May 2014
President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö and Russian President Vladimir Putin talked over the telephone on Monday, 19 May 2014. Contact was initiated by President Niinistö. The presidents discussed the crisis in Ukraine and bilateral relations between Finland and Russia. President Niinistö expressed that he hopes that Russia would support democratic presidential elections being held in Ukraine. With regard to bilateral relations, President Niinistö stated that Russia’s actions during the Ukraine crisis have an effect on the way relations between Russia and Finland are conducted, but that communication would continue at various levels.