US-Russian agreement moving forward for summit between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin: Finland offered to host

The President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, offered his country as host of a possible meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the Finnish head of state’s office reported on Friday, the day after the US imposition sanctions against Russia for its alleged interference in the 2020 presidential elections and its supposed role in the cyber attack massive SolarWinds, in addition to the sanctions related to the actions of the Kremlin in Ukraine and Afghanistan.

“Regarding this possible meeting, Finland’s willingness to organize it has been presented to Washington and Moscow.”, told the news agency AFP a spokesperson for the Finnish President’s office by e-mail.

Finland previously hosted Putin and former US president Donald trump in Helsinki for the 2018 summit between the two leaders.

However, the decision to host the meeting was criticized at the time by some Finns arguing that it gave the impression that the Nordic country was neutral, rather than a western power member of the European Union.

Niinisto was a staunch defender of maintaining dialogue with the Kremlin and last Tuesday he participated in a phone call with President Putin, in which he expressed his “Serious concern” over Russian troop movements along the border with Ukraine.

For its part, Biden proposed a meeting to his Russian counterpart in a telephone call they had on Tuesday, in which they discussed the growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The American said it was a conversation “Respectful” and “sincere”.

“When I spoke with President Putin, I expressed my belief that Direct, personal communication between the two of you is essential in moving towards a more effective relationship, and he agrees with that point.“.

The United States has imposed a battery of severe sanctions against Russia and expulsion of ten members of its diplomatic legation for the alleged cyber attacks in Moscow, its interference in the US elections, the occupation of Crimea and the rewards for its soldiers in Afghanistan.

“We cannot allow a foreign power to interfere with impunity in our democratic process”Biden said during a brief White House conference.

Amid growing tension between Washington and Moscow, the US president said that “The time for de-escalation has come”. In this sense, he stressed the importance of holding a face-to-face meeting with Putin during the northern hemisphere summer, with the aim of “launching a dialogue of strategic stability”.

(With information from AFP and EFE)

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