Spokesman for Russian President Dmitry Peskov commented on the words of the Finnish President Sauli Ninista to the newspaper La Republica about the unwillingness to play hockey with the President of Russia.
“No, I would no longer play with Putin,” he said in response to the corresponding question of the journalist.
According to Peskov, such a team sport as hockey contributes to the rapprochement and formation of mutual trust. “It was a good practice at the beginning of the (political) way Ninisto,” the Moscow Komsomolets quoted the words of the Kremlin speaker.
“Now he says that he will not play, but Putin has no shortcomings in his team members, in partners,” Peskov added. He said that the Russian president continues to play hockey regularly.
Ninisto and Putin together went out on the ice in 2012 in a friendly match of Russia – Finland. Then the Finnish president decided to play in red form of the Russian team.