Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, will make a one-day visit to Finland this summer. The newspaper Turun Sanomat reported on Saturday that the visit, which will be the Russian president’s first trip to the country’s western neighbour since 2013, will most likely take place in July.
President Putin will visit his counterpart Sauli Niinistö at the presidential residence Kultaranta, in Naantali, western Finland.
Details of the timetabling of the visit, or of what the two presidents will discuss, have not been announced.
Of all EU leaders, Finland’s President Niinistö has been arguably the most active in seeking to maintain dialogue with Moscow, holding regular phone calls with President Putin and with the two leaders visiting each other once a year. Niinistö travelled to Moscow in March this year, and again in June last year, for talks.
At the two presidents’ most recent meeting the agenda contained issues of bilateral relations including cross-border cooperation, as well as international issues ranging from Ukraine to Syria and Arctic cooperation.