Finnish foreign minister says US oil purchases from Russia ‘not a good idea’

Finland's foreign minister Elina Valtonen called on EU member states to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens until Russia ends its war against Ukraine. (EPA Images pic) SINGAPORE: Feeding Russia's "imperial" war machine with additional revenue is "not a good idea", Finland's foreign minister said on Tuesday in the wake of US president Donald Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports.

At a forum in Singapore, Elina Valtonen told Reuters that as the leader of the free world, the US should stand with Ukraine, which she said has chosen to be free from Russia's oppression.

"The rest of the world should be on the side of the victim and certainly those countries who want to still be strong for the concept of freedom," she said.

On Tuesday, Valtonen also called on EU member states to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens until Russia ends its war against Ukraine.

"I hear from all of my colleagues in the EU an agreement to the principle and I am so sure that all of the EU countries will start restricting tourist visas to Russians even more strongly now, especially because Russia is also waging a hybrid war against Europe," she said.