Finnish authorities have called for stronger pressure on Russia after introducing oil sanctions. This was announced by this country's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia.
According to Valtonen, the steps taken by the US together with Europe to strengthen the sanctions regime are extremely important, but still not enough.
“We just need to increase the pressure,” she insisted.
The minister noted that while Western countries may not be able to change Russia's imperialist goals, they should influence its calculations. Valtonen drew attention to Moscow's huge financial costs of combat operations, pointing out that the Russian economy proves capable of withstanding such a burden.
During the summit, Finland signed the organisation's main treaty, seen as a step towards strengthening ties with the region. Donald Trump is expected to join top ASEAN officials on Sunday on his first regional tour since the start of his presidency.
Finland sounds Putin's warning bell
The US leader will then meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, where they will discuss Beijing's ability to influence the Russian leadership in the context of the Ukraine conflict.
