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Time isn’t ripe yet for talks between EU, Russia, Finland’s top diplomat says

Elina Valtonen added there should be no impression "that we in Europe are desperately seeking talks to achieve peace, regardless of the conditions"

BERLIN, June 28. /TASS/. Even as Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen approved of preparations for contacts on Ukraine between the European Union and Russia, she doubted the time was ripe for negotiations with Russian politicians.

"I think it's fine that talks are being prepared at the official level. But the time isn't right yet for talks between politicians," Valtonen told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) in an interview. Besides, she said, "it's also fine that groups in Europe are coming together to consider how to move forward with talks about" resolving the Ukraine conflict.

"The impression shouldn’t be given that we in Europe are desperately seeking talks to achieve peace, regardless of the conditions. We are not neutral mediators," Finland’s top diplomat maintained as she recalled that Europe supports Ukraine. To safeguard the freedom of the continent, she argued, "Europe must be represented in the best possible way."

Russia has repeatedly stated that it is open to talks with the European Union, but that Europe cannot act as a mediator as long as it supplies Ukraine with weapons and is actually a party to the conflict.

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Ukraine crisis Finland

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