Saturday. 23.09.2023
RUSSIA

Finnish president raises Navalny question on call with Putin

Niinistö did not coordinate the call with European leaders beforehand.
The President of the Republic of Finland, Sauli Niinisto. Photo: Twitter/@Finland_OSCE.
The President of the Republic of Finland, Sauli Niinisto. Photo: Twitter/@Finland_OSCE/file photo.

Finnish President Sauli Niinistö has raised the question of jailed Russian dissident Alexei Navalny during a call he initiated with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Niinistö discussed the "implications for relations between European countries and Russia" of Navalny's ongoing detention, according to a statement from the Finnish leader's office.

Imprisoning the Russian opposition leader on return to the country had been a "tough move," Niinistö later told Finnish reporters, adding that he had not coordinated the call with European leaders beforehand.

Finnish president raises Navalny question on call with Putin