The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko urged the leader of Finland Sauli Niinistö to increase pressure on Russia in matters of release of prisoners. This he said after bilateral talks in Helsinki.
“We discussed the brutal human rights violation in Donbas and Crimea. I appealed to Mr. President to increase pressure on the Russian side regarding the release of Ukrainian hostages as from the occupied territories and in Russian prisons,” – said Poroshenko.
The President thanked Finland for its active participation in special monitoring mission of the OSCE’s human and financial resources, assistance Finland untransparently persons and for the practical support of the process of humanitarian demining in the East of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader expressed gratitude for the strong position of Finland in the acceleration of granting Ukraine a visa-free regime, ensure the completion of the ratification process of the Association Agreement and for a large amount of technical assistance, “which in these difficult conditions, Finland has offered Ukraine”.
“We agreed to intensify activities of intergovernmental Finnish-Ukrainian Commission on trade and economic development. And agreed that during the meeting of this Commission we will take in Ukraine with the visit of the business mission of Team Finland,” – said Poroshenko.
In addition, the President confirmed the interest of Kiev in cooperation in the military sphere.
“I would particularly like to note the effective coordination of our actions. We are grateful to Finland for its contribution in the framework of the NATO trust Fund for the development of military medicine and rehabilitation of military personnel. I want to thank you for your strong continued support of Ukraine”, – he said.
As reported, according to the SBU, today in captivity in the Donbass remains 110 hostages and 490 missing.
