Finland hopes Marcos admin will condemn Russia's aggression against Ukraine

Finland is hoping that the incoming Marcos administration will condemn Russia's aggression against Ukraine, its envoy said on Wednesday.

Finnish Ambassador Juha Markus Pyykkö said he raised the conflict between Russia and Ukraine during his courtesy call on President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. at the BBM Headquarters in Mandaluyong City.

He said that Russia's aggression was a "severe breach of international law and the international-rule-based order." 

"The Philippines has been in the group of countries condemning the aggression, and what I conveyed to the President-elect is that I hope his administration will continue to appreciate and respect this approach from the Philippine side in the future as well," Pyykkö told reporters.

At the United Nations General Assembly in late February, the Philippines voted to condemn Russia's "unprovoked armed aggression" against Ukraine and appealed for the protection of civilians and an end to hostilities.

Pyykkö said the security situation in Finland has been affected by the conflict as his country shares a land border of 1,300 kilometers with the Russian Federation.

"That has totally changed the security situation in my country and in the neighborhood there. And as the act of aggression by Russia, it's a breach of international law, it's not a European issue, it's a global international issue. That is what I underlined to the President as well," he said.

Russia's Ambassador to the Philippines Marat Pavlov earlier said Marcos would maintain his "independent policy" in connection with the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Pavlov and Marcos discussed the conflict during the former's courtesy visit to the latter on Monday.

During the election campaign in March, Marcos said that taking a position on Russia's invasion of Ukraine was unnecessary. He is concerned, though, for the Filipinos who are affected by the conflict.

Days later, Marcos called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and urged Russia "to respect Ukraine’s freedom and its citizens’ democratic way of life." —VBL, GMA News