Latest news with #MikkoStig
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
US should impose sanctions on Russia, Finland's Valtonen says
FILE PHOTO: Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen attends a press conference during the Helsinki+50 OSCE conference in Helsinki, Finland, July 31, 2025. The conference marks the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. Lehtikuva/Mikko Stig/via REUTERS/File Photo HELSINKI (Reuters) -Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said on Friday she hoped U.S. President Donald Trump will move forward with imposing sanctions on Russia as it would help bring an end to the conflict in Ukraine. "I certainly hope that President Trump will move forward with those sanctions," Valtonen said in a Reuters NEXT Newsmaker interview. "What we do see - and suspect now as well - is that the reason that Russia has again shown some willingness to talk, is that the increased arms deliveries (to Ukraine) are definitely piling up the pressure on Russia to find a way out of the war." Finland, its fellow Nordic countries and the Baltics, have been among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine. The 2022 invasion prompted Finland, which shares a 1,340-km (833 mile) border with Russia, to join NATO two years ago, upending decades of non-alignment. (Reporting by Anne Kauranen; additional reporting by Essi Lehto; writing by Gwladys Fouche; editing by Terje Solsvik)
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
US should impose sanctions on Russia, Finland's Valtonen says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen attends a press conference during the Helsinki+50 OSCE conference in Helsinki, Finland, July 31, 2025. The conference marks the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. Lehtikuva/Mikko Stig/via REUTERS/File Photo HELSINKI - Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said on Friday she hoped U.S. President Donald Trump will move forward with imposing sanctions on Russia as it would help bring an end to the conflict in Ukraine. "I certainly hope that President Trump will move forward with those sanctions," Valtonen said in a Reuters NEXT Newsmaker interview. "What we do see - and suspect now as well - is that the reason that Russia has again shown some willingness to talk, is that the increased arms deliveries (to Ukraine) are definitely piling up the pressure on Russia to find a way out of the war." Finland, its fellow Nordic countries and the Baltics, have been among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine. The 2022 invasion prompted Finland, which shares a 1,340-km (833 mile) border with Russia, to join NATO two years ago, upending decades of non-alignment. REUTERS
Barnama
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
UN Rights Chief Voices Concern Over Israel's 'Unlawful Presence' In Palestinian Territories
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk attends the opening of the Helsinki+50 Conference in Helsinki, Finland, July 31, 2025. The conference marks the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. Lehtikuva/Mikko Stig/via REUTERS LONDON, July 31 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- The UN human rights chief on Thursday expressed concern over Israel's "unlawful presence" in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, calling for accountability for all violations, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. Speaking at the Helsinki+50 Conference, which is being held in the Finnish capital Helsinki, Volker Turk said that the root causes of conflict often lie in inequalities and human rights violations and are fuelled by dehumanisation and discrimination. "These dynamics can be seen today in Gaza, in Sudan and elsewhere. bootstrap slideshow "Israel must end its unlawful presence, and there must be accountability for all violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law," he noted. He pointed out the huge number of civilian deaths in the Israeli bombardments of Gaza, the repeated forced displacement and the unlawful restrictions imposed on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid. Turk also said that people are being killed while seeking food in Gaza and harassment of Palestinians by Israeli settlers and security forces in the occupied West Bank continues. "It is clear that the war must end," he said, adding that hostages held by Hamas must also be released. Hosted by Finland, the Helsinki+50 Conference marks the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, which was signed to improve relations between the Eastern and Western blocs during the Cold War by addressing security, economic, and humanitarian issues. -- BERNAMA-ANADOLU
