After the presidential elections in Russia, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen believes that Vladimir Putin has further strengthened his position.

This was reported by Bayerischer Rundfunk.

"I think we still underestimate Putin and his power overall. We must understand that the situation could become much worse," she said about the threat posed by neighboring Russia.

She noted that Finland has been preparing for the Russian threat for several decades and invests in defense.

Valtonen also criticized the recent statement by the leader of the SDP-N parliamentary faction, Rolf Mützenich, about the possibility of freezing the war in Ukraine.

"If we in the West try to freeze the war or restrain ourselves and hope that it will end, we are simply mistaken. You just have to set limits for leaders like Putin. You have to stop them, because otherwise, they will not stop," the minister emphasized.

She highly appreciated the support that Germany provides to Ukraine, expressing hope that "Germany will continue to play this significant role, not only in supporting Ukraine but also in further expanding joint deterrence forces and collective defense."