Egypt's President el-Sissi hosts Finnish leader Stubb for talks in Cairo

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi welcomed his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb to Cairo on Tuesday for wide-ranging talks on the rapidly changing international order.

The discussion covered "the situation in Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, Gaza and the broader Middle East," Stubb's office said in a statment, as well as "bilateral relations between Finland and Egypt, Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the global order."

”We feel that the future challenges of the Middle East and Europe are increasingly aligned and mutual," Stubb said at a joint press conference.

"Our societies are peaceful and our countries want to continue to develop an international system based on common rules and norms. Nevertheless, we suffer from decisions taken by some leaders around the world who do not share the same aspiration. We are finding ourselves paying the price for conflicts for which we are in no way responsible, but we still have to be involved,“ he added.

El-Sissi touched on a number of topics, including the ongoing civil war in Sudan, now in its fourth year:

“I confirm that the Egyptian position that calls for the preservation of the unity of Sudan and the security of its lands and rejected attempts to divide it or to establish parallel entities is considered a red line for the Egyptian people's security.”

El-Sissi also welcomed Pakistani efforts to mediate a ceasefire in the war between the United States and Iran, describing the talks as a "positive development" towards "desired calm."

El-Sissi also offered his "complete rejection" of Iranian attacks on Gulf Arab states during the war which began in February and called on the international community to not lose focus on the plight of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

His remarks came after an Israeli army reservist shot and killed two Palestinians near a school east of Ramallah on Tuesday morning, authorities said, in the latest episode of violence convulsing the occupied West Bank.