Finnish President Sauli Niinistö visited Kyiv, Ukraine on Tuesday, meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky and visited Borodyanka and Bucha, cities devastated by Russian attacks.
Niinistö's visit to the war-torn country was not publicly announced in advance due to security concerns, as Russia aims to oust the Ukrainian president and his administration.
Yle's correspondent, Mika Mäkeläinen, who followed Niinistö in Borodyanka, reported that security measures around the visit were very strict, with Niinistö's entourage protected by several armed soldiers.
Borodyanka's local council head, Georgy Yerko, hosted Niinistö during his visit.
"They had a lot of things in common to discuss. They found similarities in the [past] wars in Finland and the situation in Ukraine," Mäkeläinen said.
Members of the media were not permitted to accompany Niinistö's group to Bucha, a city nearby the Ukrainian capital in which Russian forces murdered hundreds of people last spring, an event which since became known as the Bucha massacre.
Presidents discussed Finland's support for Ukraine
During Niinistös meeting with Zelensky in the afternoon, the presidents discussed Finland's support of Ukraine, according to the President's Office.
Niinistö said the possibility of Finland providing Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine is still an open issue.
"We are the only non-Nato country to have Leopards. We also have a long border with Russia that must be taken into account," Niinistö noted during a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart.
To date, Finland has provided around 600 million euros in military aid to Ukraine.
Zelenski thanked the Nordic country for taking in Ukrainians who fled the war.
Around 40,000 Ukrainians have sought help in Finland since Russia first invaded Ukraine. Finland anticipates a similar number of Ukrainians to arrive this year.
Niinistö also commented on Finland and Sweden's pending Nato membership.
"I will combine a statement of my own and from our foreign minister, Pekka Haavisto (Green). 'Keep your eyes on the ball, but don't be a ball yourself.' So, we have to take it calmly. It seems that we will need to wait for the elections in Turkey [before Nato accession]," Niinistö said.
The Finnish president also placed a wreath on a wall of remembrance in the capital city, which honours Ukrainians who have died in the war. Niinistö was also scheduled to speak and meet with students at a Kyiv university.
The presidential visit was publicly announced only after Zelensky had travelled a certain distance from where the press briefing was held.
