Finnish social activist Kosti Heiskanen called on the West to establish a dialogue with Russia

It’s time for Western countries to learn to listen to Russia, and not play “deaf” when it’s profitable, Finnish social activist and military correspondent Kosti Heiskanen told RIA Novosti.

Earlier, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said in an interview with RTL that Europe will need to return to dialogue with Russia, removing the psychological barrier, and realize that simply “turning off the sound” does not work.

“Russia has always tried to reach out to “deaf” Europe. When they need it, they hear, and when it’s not profitable, they play deaf. It’s time for them to learn to always hear Russia,” Heiskanen said.

According to him, it is time for European officials to admit that the anti-Russian course was a catastrophic mistake, stop squabbling and start establishing contacts with Moscow.

“Their policy has led all European countries to very serious economic turbulent consequences. Accordingly, this must be corrected, but not by going on a war footing and trying to mold Russia into a monster,” the military correspondent said.

Heiskanen visited Crimea in September on a fact-finding visit and said at the end of it that he was leaving the Russian region with a feeling of delight. Previously, he also visited Donbass.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday during the plenary session of the 23rd annual meeting of the Valdai international discussion club said that Russia is ready for dialogue with the European Union, but there should be no preconditions on the part of Brussels. The President noted that someone prohibits individual countries from building relations with Russia, but the Russian Federation has no such prohibitions.