Finnish President Sauli Niinistö met with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. The pair also spoke with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.
Niinistö was in London for a two-day summit of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). The JEF is a British-led multilateral framework for defence cooperation that includes the five Nordic countries, the three Baltic states and the Netherlands.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the president said that Finland can be assured of receiving "full support" from the UK, whatever decisions Finland may take regarding its security and defence.
He noted, however, that while the UK has pledged to offer support, an official, binding security guarantee cannot be granted without the approval of the British Parliament.
According to Yle's sources, during his meeting with Niinistö on Tuesday, Johnson said that cooperation between the UK and Finland will be strengthened in the near future.
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"In all the discussions that I participated in, it was reaffirmed that Nato's doors remain open," Niinistö stated.
The president remained tight-lipped about whether Finland would join Nato in the future. He did not comment about a recent poll by Yle which indicated that 62 percent of the country's population want it to join the military alliance.
Niinistö said he had a lengthy discussion with Johnson about the conflict in Ukraine. He stressed that the primary focus of Nato and EU countries was de-escalating the situation and halting the unnecessary killing and suffering of civilians.
When asked about Finland's relations with Russia, Niinistö stated that there is no going back, as the financial consequences and deep mistrust of Russia triggered by the war will continue long into the future.
Zelensky appeals to JEF leaders
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the leaders of the JEF via video link on Tuesday, requesting additional military assistance and calling for a full trade embargo on Russia.
"We are all targets of Russia and the situation will turn against Europe if Ukraine cannot withstand the Russian invasion. That is why I am asking you to help yourself by helping us," he said.
It was also confirmed at Tuesday's meeting that JEF member states will take part in joint military exercises around the Nordic and Baltic regions this spring.
JEF offers members assistance in terms of military aid and intelligence when required, but does not provide a security guarantee. It therefore remains unclear what concrete assistance could be offered to Finland in case of a crisis.
"It is clear that the exercises will strengthen our ability to work together, which is important for Finland's security," Niinistö said, adding that member countries were still working out how the alliance will function.