The president says Russia’s NATO proposals challenge Europe’s security
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said on Saturday that Europe should not just listen to the Russia – NATO debate on Europe ‘s new security architecture, which he said is at odds with the current order.
“We … need to be careful about what we talk about and with whom. Many Europeans have asked, and not for the first time: are we being discussed without being involved?” he said in a message on New Year’s Day.
He argued that Russia’s proposals to the United States and NATO in December to ensure that the alliance did not expand east or deploy mid-range nuclear weapons at its border were “contrary to the European security order” and called into question Finland’s sovereignty.
“The sovereignty of several member states, including Sweden and Finland, has been challenged from outside the Union. This makes the EU a party. The EU must not be content with the role of technical coordinator of sanctions alone,” Niinistö said.
Older Russian and U.S. diplomats will sit in the Strategic Stability Dialogue in Geneva on January 10 to discuss the new security guarantees Russia has called for amid tensions over Ukraine. Bilateral talks will be followed by a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Brussels on 12 January.
Source: ANI / Sputnik