Key facts
- Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen stated that US purchases of Russian diesel are "not a good idea."
- Valtonen argued that the US, as the leader of the free world, should stand with Ukraine.
- She called for EU member states to more strongly restrict tourist visas for Russian citizens.
- Valtonen defended India's purchase of Russian oil, stating it was compliant with the Western price cap mechanism.
Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen stated that the US decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports is "not a good idea," arguing that it provides additional revenue to Russia's "imperial" war machine. Speaking at a forum in Singapore on Tuesday, Valtonen asserted that the United States, as the leader of the free world, should align itself with Ukraine, which she said has chosen freedom from Russian oppression.