HELSINKI — President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine arrived in Finland on Wednesday to fulfill with Nordic leaders, a uncommon abroad journey for the Ukrainian chief amid the Russian invasion.
The workplace of the Finnish president mentioned in a assertion that Mr. Zelensky was invited to carry talks in Helsinki on “Ukraine’s protection battle and Finland’s help for Ukraine,” amongst different issues. Mr. Zelensky and Finland’s president, Sauli Niinisto, will maintain a joint information convention after the discussions, it added.
Mr. Niinisto and Mr. Zelensky had been additionally anticipated to fulfill with the prime ministers of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland to “talk about the state of affairs of Russia’s conflict of aggression in Ukraine” and “the Nordic international locations’ continued help for Ukraine,” in addition to Ukraine’s relationship with the European Union and NATO, the assertion mentioned.
The Ukrainian president has made few abroad journeys since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Final month he acquired a hero’s welcome on his first official go to to Poland.
Finland, which shares an extended border with Russia, turned NATO’s thirty first member state final month. That was a major blow to Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, who has strongly opposed the enlargement of the trans-Atlantic navy alliance.
Ukraine utilized for NATO membership final yr, however there may be division amongst NATO international locations about whether or not Ukraine ought to be provided a pathway to membership at a summit this summer season.
As Ukraine will not be a member, NATO solely helps to coordinate Kyiv’s requests for nonmilitary help and helps deliveries of humanitarian help. However particular person NATO members, corresponding to america, are among the largest suppliers of navy help to Ukraine.
