Stubb: I hope Trump's patience with Russia runs out
Finnish President Alexander Stubb hopes that US President Donald Trump's patience with Russia will "run out," he said at a press conference ahead of the country's ambassadors' conference in Helsinki, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported.
Asked about the progress of peace talks in Ukraine, Stubb said: "I hope that US President Donald Trump's patience with Russia runs out."
"We will do everything in our power to achieve lasting peace. We will do everything in our power to ensure that Ukraine preserves its self-determination and territorial integrity, as far as possible," he added.
Stubb believes that Vladimir Putin can only be forced to make peace by imposing tariffs on countries that continue to trade with Russia or help Russia's military industry.
"The only ones who can convince Putin to make peace are most likely in the East, not in the West," the Finnish president said.
Stubb reportedly said on August 25 that Vladimir Putin's demands on Ukraine were typical Russian negotiating tactics and could not be met from a practical standpoint.
