Media | Niinistö also comments on Putin’s change to The New York Times – the magazine describes Niinistö’s role between the West and Russia as “vital”

American newspaper The New York Times (NOW) published the president on Sunday Sauli Niinistö extensive interview. The magazine describes Niinistö as “knowing well” the Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The role of Niinistö in relations between the West and Russia is described as “vital”. The New York Times is the third foreign newspaper to publish Niinistö’s assessments of Putin’s intentions and motives for Ukraine over the weekend. An interview with Niinistö was published on Friday German newspaper Spiegel and a Swedish newspaper on Saturday Dagens Nyheter.

The background is the escalation of the situation in Ukraine in recent months and a warning by the US administration on Friday that Russia could attack Ukraine “at any time”.

Read more: Niinistö tells in an interview with a German newspaper how Putin, whom he has known for a long time, has now changed

Read more: In an interview with President Niinistö DN: “I am very worried” about the war in Europe

Niinistö says in an interview with NYT that he is in an “almost interpreter-like role” between East and West, rather than just a Nordic messenger, explaining the other’s thinking to both parties.

In the past, European negotiations were led by the former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. According to The New York Times, with Merkel’s retreat, Niinistö’s role, albeit smaller, is now vital – “especially as the cumin of war drums intensifies.”

Like the German newspaper Spiegel, Niinistö describes Putin, who has long known to NOW, as “more determined”. There are also concerns expressed by the President to European newspapers: Niinistö does not believe that Ukraine can return to the former.

Finland Niinistö also presents Niinistö’s unusually high support figures and the significance of the possibility of NATO membership in relations with Russia to the American public, who knows the President less well.

The Prime Minister will also be mentioned Sanna Marinin January statement to Reuters that Finland’s accession to NATO during the current government is “very unlikely”.

“I’m still just saying I don’t see any significant damage,” NOW describes Niinistö as saying “seemingly holding back”.

At the end of the story, NOW is discussing the relationship between Niinistö and the President of the United States To Joe Biden as well as parts of Niinistö’s private life. The U.S. newspaper cites the tragedy that unites the presidents: the former wife of both has died in a car accident.

Niinistö tells NOW that he is aware of Biden’s history and could bring it up with him if he has “one day the opportunity to sit with him for longer”.