Kathrine Frich
The book offers a rare glimpse into how the Russian leader views power, history, and neighboring nations.
A newly published memoir by former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö sheds light on his encounters with Vladimir Putin, describing moments of odd humor, puzzling gifts, and blunt political exchanges.
The Russian president’s strange humor
According to Kyiv Post and Finnish broadcaster YLE, Niinistö’s memoir All Roads to Security covers his 12 years in office, ending in 2024, during a period marked by rising tensions between Russia and the West.
The former president recalls that Putin often used humor to assert subtle dominance, particularly in discussions about Finland’s independence.
At the 2012 St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Putin reportedly presented guests with wine from 1845 and remarked on “how good things were back then.”
Niinistö interpreted the comment as a jab, since in that year Finland was still under Russian rule as part of the Grand Duchy of Finland.
“I quickly looked around at those seated at the table and concluded that the remark was aimed specifically at me,” Niinistö wrote.
Gifts with hidden meaning
Throughout their meetings, Putin’s gifts often left the Finnish president puzzled.
One was a medal once awarded to 19th-century Finnish politician Samuel Werner von Troil, known for his criticism of Russian policies under Tsar Nicholas II.
Niinistö described the gesture as “curious,” noting von Troil’s outspoken defense of Finnish autonomy.
Another gift came on Niinistö’s 70th birthday, when Putin presented him with personal letters written by wartime leader Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim to his family.
Mannerheim had led Finland’s defense against Stalin’s invasion in 1939 and later cooperated with Germany during World War II. Ni
inistö wrote that his advisers “reflected together on the real meaning of these messages that seemed to support Finland’s self-determination.”
Shifting relations
The memoir recounts how the tone between the two leaders changed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Niinistö says he avoided using the question of NATO membership as leverage but that Putin raised it himself, suggesting that then-US President Joe Biden was using Finland’s potential membership to pressure Moscow.
Soon after, Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced Finland’s decision to join NATO.
During a scheduled phone call, Niinistö informed Putin of the move directly.
“We have always communicated directly and I felt that this should also be said directly,” he wrote.
Putin’s reaction, however, was unexpectedly calm. “He simply said: ‘You are making a mistake.’”
A calm warning
Putin reportedly went on to tell Niinistö,
“I hope you will keep some of your self-determination; the Americans will definitely take military control.”
The Finnish leader included the exchange to illustrate the Russian president’s worldview. one defined by suspicion, historical grievance, and distrust of Western alliances.
All Roads to Security was published in Finland on Wednesday and has already drawn wide attention across Europe for its revealing portrayal of high-level diplomacy during one of the continent’s most turbulent decades.
Sources: YLE, Kyiv Post, Digi24
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, who may have used AI in the preparation
