According to the president's office in Helsinki, in addition to bilateral relations between Finland and Russia, President Sauli Niinistö and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had a thorough discussion on the situation at the borders of Ukraine during a telephone call on Tuesday.

President Niinistö expressed grave concern about the tense situation and stressed the need to find a diplomatic resolution.

Discussions also touched upon the Spirit of Helsinki, a summit meeting of world leaders Niinistö has proposed to tackle climate and security issues. Finland has offered to host such a gathering to mark the 50th anniversary meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Finland in 2025.

Calls with US and Greek leaders

President Niinistö and US President Joe Biden had a brief telephone conversation on Monday.

The White House website said the two leaders had shared concerns about the situation in Ukraine. Biden also praised Finland's decision to choose American-made F-35 fighters to replace its ageing fleet of F-18 Hornets. Biden is reported to have said that the purchase provides a strong foundation for closer bilateral defence cooperation in coming years.

According to Finnish officials, the main topic of discussion was the situation on Ukraine's borders. The two presidents said it was important to work together to find a diplomatic solution to the tense situation.

Earlier on Monday, Niinistö also had a telephone conversation with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis about the Greek premier's meeting with President Putin last week in Sochi.