HELSINKI, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Former Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Thursday criticized Europe for avoiding direct contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Talking to Finnish National Radio Yle after delivering a lecture at Chatham House in London, Niinisto said while Europe is waiting for the outcome of the potential talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin, it has avoided engaging directly with the Russian leader.

Since inauguration, Trump has said multiple times that he would be talking to Putin "very soon," including in his virtual remarks to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. He also posted on social media, expressing his willingness to "make a deal" with Russia to "STOP this ridiculous War."

From a European perspective, Niinisto expressed frustration, saying he was "annoyed" by Europe's limited involvement in the efforts to end the conflict.

Noting Trump's active outreach to Russia, Niinisto emphasized the criticism directed towards German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after he had a phone conversation with Putin in November regarding the conflict. He criticized Europe's "conflicting behavior," saying it fails to present "a convincing picture of Europe's capabilities."

The former president also predicted that tensions in Ukraine would persist for a long time, even after a peace agreement is reached.

Niinisto, who served as Finland's president from 2012 to 2024, met with Putin multiple times in Finland and Russia, including after the 2014 Crimean crisis. Enditem

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