“At present, we have many bilateral relations, ties, as good neighbours should have. We are also witnessing a certain revival, intensification of these relations, as things are getting better and better in the economic sense in both countries,” Niinisto said after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Finland should intensify its cooperation with Russia within the framework of the Northern Dimension project, which has been stalled because of the anti-Russian sanctions, Niinisto added.
The 'Northern Dimension' is currently experiencing certain time of calm due to sanctions, but I believe that after all, we do not need to forget about this initiative, about this program, and in our thoughts we should support it, because a lot of good results have been achieved due to the 'Northern Dimension', Niinisto said at a joint news conference with Putin.
Meanwhile, the Russian president said that Russia and Finland would increase cooperation in the Arctic region.
"We continued the exchange of the opinions which Niinisto and I discussed on March 30 at the ‘Arctic: Territory of Dialogue’ forum in Arkhangelsk. We agreed to increase cooperation in this region, incluyding within the framework of Finland’s presidency in the Arctic council," Putin said after the meeting.
Putin is currently on an official visit to Finland. According to Finnish Ambassador to Moscow Mikko Hautala, the two leaders will discuss Russia's tense relations with the European Union, the Ukrainian conflict and Crimea.
The last meeting of the two presidents took place within the international Arctic Forum "Arctic: Territory of Dialogue" in Arkhangelsk on March 29-30, 2017. Both Russia and Finland are the members of the Arctic Council intergovernmental forum which also comprises the United States, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Denmark.
