It's time for Europe to start talking to Russia directly, says Finnish president

Finland’s president said he believes that European governments must directly engage with Moscow, adding that peace is not on the table at least for this year.

"It's time to start talking to Russia. When this will happen, I don't know," Alexander Stubb said in an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera published on Monday.

The president said he believes that Washington's policy towards Russia and Ukraine is no longer in line with Europe's interests, so Europe has to engage with Moscow directly.

"I believe that peace isn't on the table, at least for this year," he said, adding that Europeans discussed who will establish contact with Russia, but added: "We don't know yet."

"The most important thing is that everything must be coordinated between us, especially between the E5 (Germany, France, Italy, the UK, and Poland) and the Nordic and Baltic countries, who are on the border. Whether it will be a special envoy or a group of leaders, we'll see."

Asked whether European leaders were right to refuse to lend a helping hand to the US in its war with Iran, Stubb said that the European response stems from the fact that US President Donald Trump didn't consult them before launching the attack.

"Now we hope that the Americans and Iranians will find a solution, a sustainable ceasefire. They seem close. At that point, any initiative that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz must also involve Europe," he added.