The local newspaper in Helsinki has spoken on behalf of the free world to two of the world's most prominent critics of journalists, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, as they come to Finland for a meeting they are not describing as a summit.

On the route between the airport the newspaper, Helsingen Sanomat – Finland's largest – has posted 300 billboards, some in Russian and others in English, highlighting "the presidents’ turbulent relations with the media".

The Finnish media group Helsingin Sanomat took out advertising ahead of the Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki to make a point.

At the airport, a huge overhead poster reads, "Mr President, welcome to the land of free press".