In the center of Helsinki, a subtle meeting took place on March 19th, where President Alexander Stubb greeted President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine at the esteemed Presidential Palace.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb met with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki on Wednesday, March 19.
President Zelensky paid an official visit that was kept “under the radar” for most media. This essentially meant that only some publicly listed media companies in Finland could attend the press conference.
Finland Today, however, was at the right place at the right time when President Zelensky arrived at one of the most expensive hotels in Helsinki, The Hotel Maria, in Kruununhaka district on early Tuesday evening.
The location was, perhaps, understandable with its fine service and sheets. But it’s also a “stone’s throw away” from the Presidential Palace.
The weather was great on Tuesday by early Finnish spring standards; the temperature hovered around seven degrees C, and the just-washed black state BMWs and AUDIs in Zelensky’s escort and entourage shined under the evening sun. However, on Wednesday morning at the time of the official welcoming ceremony at the palace, it was was all about sunshine and about 10 degrees warmth in your face!
“Slava Ukraini!” a few people in the very limited space for crowd shouted from a fair distance from the palace.
Hearing that, President Zelensky waved to the public after greeting the Guard of Honor on red carpet and after hearing the national anthems of the respective countries.
The press conference began around noon.
The talks between presidents could be summed up in one word: peace.
“Ukraine wants peace; Finland wants peace; Europe wants peace; United States wants peace, Russia, on the other hand, still has to show that it wants genuine peace,” President Stubb said to the media in a live stream from the palace.
President Zelensky’s visit to Finland, depending on the view, can be considered important during this pivotal point in world history: These are days when attempts are being made to resolve the terms of a ceasefire in Ukraine and a possible future peace agreements.
Still … key players in the negotiations, as you may know, are U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
President Trump said previously that if anything, he would like to be remembered as a mediator for peace; what Putin said or what his goals are remain unclear.
However, at the writing, President Zelensky and President Trump are supposed to have another discussion over the phone on Wednesday. Probably from Finland?
President Stubb without a doubt is a great promoter and advertising man for Finland.
But the general feeling about Zelensky’s visit here at this time seems to stir confusion.
It’s obviously always great to have the spotlight cast on us, but what actually is the goal at this crucial point in time?
Maybe the message to the world is: we are independent, and hopefully someday you will be too.
