Attacking with land forces across the border is mostly impossible. In Virolahti, near the Russian border, retired combat engineer Ilkka Lansivaara, 70 - whose father was an air force pilot in World War Two - had hung a NATO flag from the side of his house. We investigate European approaches to critical global issues: digital transformation, climate, migration, global governance. It is expected to pass with overwhelming support. I'd say that the most vulnerable thing is our communications, because Finland is logistically an island and almost 90 percent of our trade goes on Western sea lines of communications. Certain realities, however, will not change. However, regardless of the result in the battlefields, it is certain that these relations will not return to the way they were before. And there is a sense among Finnish people, that this balance - despite regional geo-political events - is working well. The Global Europe Programs staff, scholars-in-residence, and Global Fellows participate in seminars, policy study groups, and international conferences to provide analytical recommendations to policy makers and the media. Read about our approach to external linking. - King Charles XII of Sweden invaded and conquered parts of Russia in the early 18th century but lost a battle in Poltava, in today's Ukraine, to tsar Peter the Great. A first obvious answer is Russia. The View From Finland: 'The Russian Garrisons Have Been Emptied. History of Finland | Britannica Discovery Company. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. There is still significant work to be done to coordinate this with NATO, he said. (modern). Importantly, Finland has been able to utilize its networks and connections in Russia without the taint of corruption. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much U.S. Relations With Finland - United States Department of State It's not nothing, but it's not as serious as it sounds. As far as Finland is concerned, criticism can be given for the fact that Finland did not let go of its Russia optimism earlier. Russia's Permanent Representative to the European Union, Vladimir Chizhov, said Finland's membership in NATO would raise two specific territorial issues, according to a RU News 24 report. In the past, such solutions have been, for example, seeking to form a border state alliance between Finland, Poland and the Baltic countries in the 1930s, relying on German military assistance in the Continuation War in the 1940s, leaning on a policy of neutrality during the Cold War, or deepening defense cooperation with NATO since 2014. Of all the continental European nations combating, as part of World War II, Helsinki and Moscow were the only capitals not occupied. Certainly, this is true to the extent that Finland has and continues to have only a limited influence over Russia's choices and broader world view. Paraguay's President-elect Santiago Pena, a clean-cut former central bank director, will need all his wits and cool to steer the South American nation through economic headwinds hurting voters and rising pressure from farmers to cut ties with Taiwan. In 1809, in accordance with Treaty of Fredrikshamn Sweden surrendered Finland to Russia, and the Diet of Porvoo pledged loyalty to Russian Emperor Alexander I. Naturally, Russia was at the heart of the discussions. You have to remember that the biggest NATO countries, barring the U.K., are also the biggest EU countries and Hungary is getting a lot of money from the EU. "We used to consider it a brotherly country of the capitalist world, the closest to us in spirit, in mutually beneficial economic relations," said Nikolai, a St. Petersburg resident. Yet at the same time "Finnish leaders and our current president want to keep dialogue with Russia, even through difficult times, and the dialogue is quite open and direct" including on the subject of Ukraine, says Ms Turtiainen. As President Niinist said in his recent speech, on the contrary, Finland needs to carefully reconsider any dependencies that could be used against it. They can arrange military exercises, move those long-range missile units close to the border. Well, there's no political power anymore. In land Islands. As Finland joins NATO, look back at 1939 Soviet invasion - USA Today But despite its namesake, the term does not apply to the Finland-Russia relationship of today. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. How NATO Could Change Finland's Military Just four days after the start of the war, Finlands largest daily Helsingin Sanomat declared that Finland has no special understanding of Russia, due to the inability by the political leadership to anticipate the war. Of course, we will participate in the Baltic Sea maritime surveillance. Finland shares a 830-mile (1,340km) border with Russia, the longest of any EU member. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. As ajournalist and political analyst, he has covered issues of international security, post-Soviet conflicts, and Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations. It's an assurance, meaning that if we would be attacked, [we could have] military support which would then be decided between Finland and the U.K. [U.K. Prime Minister Boris] Johnson would probably have to go to parliament and ask them to give him the powers to provide such support. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. Vladimir Putin and Sauli Niinist in 2019. So I think that they could help there. - After a few decades of Finnish independence and just before World War II, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union made a non-aggression pact which included a secret protocol that assigned Finland as well as Estonia and Latvia to the Soviet "sphere of influence". See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Exports from the United States to Finland include chemicals, electronics, machinery, instruments and apparatus, road vehicles and transport equipment, coal, medical equipment, food and beverages, metals and metal products, crude minerals, and metalliferous ores. A day after Finland's leaders announced their support for NATO membership, Russian state-owned utility company Inter RAO announced it would stop exporting electricity to Finland from Saturday. Finnish President Saul Niinisto said Finland's most significant contribution to NATO's common deterrence and defence would be to defend its own territory. From midnight 1314 May 2022, Russia suspended electricity supplies to Finland. Finland prepares response to Russia's security demands, says foreign In dropping non-alignment, Russia's Foreign Ministry said, Finland was committing a dangerous historical mistake that would fray relations with Moscow and undo its status as a confidence-building presence in the Baltic Sea and Europe at large. Finlands frequent interactions with Russia in the past has often led to Helsinki being characterized as a bear whisperer. - Russia's invasion, which it calls "a special operation", of its sovereign neighbour Ukraine, resulted in a U-turn among Finns, with around 76% of Finns in favour and only 12% against NATO membership in the most recent poll by public broadcaster YLE. Finns will go to the polls next year to elect a new president but the Nato debate, while always present, will not be a major issue, says Markku Kangaspuro, a Russia expert at the University of Helsinki's Aleksanteri Institute. But after the Ukraine war, they might build some new garrison areas and bases closer to the Finnish border, but it's not that easy. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. It said while the resolution aims to stop tourism and related transit from Russia altogether it will not prevent traveling when it is deemed necessary for humanitarian reasons, for national interests or for meeting Finlands international obligations., According to a November press release by the Finnish Border Guard, the amount of entries has decreased significantly after the restrictions came into force.. A Looming Cable Race in the Arctic: What Role for NATO? [10], After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine started, Finland, as one of the EU countries, imposed sanctions on Russia, and Russia added all EU countries to the list of "unfriendly nations". Flickr/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland. The spying was uncovered in spring 2013, and as of October 2013[update] the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo) was investigating the breach. "This is now a thing of the past. The reflection has not only been limited to the assessment of the state's official policy on Russia but has spread to other levels of society as well. "What do you think we will do in this situation? Russias invasion of Ukraine has led to a self-reflection in European societies and the atrocities of Russias soldiers has opened old scars in Finnish society, as well as Finland's historical memory of its war against the Soviet Union. It's not a government-to-government agreement ratified by parliament. If not publicly then at least in private, Finland has always been prepared for the Russian threat. Finland faces Russia electricity cutoff - POLITICO However, the Soviet Union did not abide by the treaty when they blockaded Finnish naval ships. Russia Raises Territorial Questions For Finland Ahead of - Newsweek They can fly over Finnish airspace. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Toveri: From Russia's point of view, it's a big [problem] because now the Baltic Sea will practically become a lake [belonging to] NATO. On September 29, some 8,583 Russian citizens crossed into Finlands eastern border from Russia. Finland plans to start building a fence on Russian border next year Our program activities cover a wide range of topics, from the role of NATO, the European Union and the OSCE to European energy security, trade disputes, challenges to democracy, and counter-terrorism. They don't have this leverage [in Finland]. "It's a special day for Finland. The annual event was particularly interesting this time, as it was the first of its kind since the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine and Finlands decision to apply for NATO membership. But Russian energy is a very small part of Finnish energy consumption. [15], In the wake of the 24 February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, support among the Finnish populace for NATO membership increased from below 30% to 60-70%. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. RFE/RL: I know Finland very closely cooperates with NATO, in NATO's Partnership For Peace program and has taken part in NATO missions. That comes through general conscription because, that way, every family more or less is tied up in the [country's] defense. To what extent does President Vladimir Putin have himself to blame for this outcome? We don't know what NATO wants us to give them. Finland joins Nato in a major blow to Putin which doubles the length of The Finns suffered 89,108 dead or missing military personnel during these wars[4][5][6] but inflicted severe casualties on the Soviet Union: 126,875167,976 dead or missing during the Winter War[7][8] and 250,000305,000 dead or missing during the Continuation War. land Islands. Is that not a cause of concern if Russia is making mischief? - In the chaos resulting from the Russian Revolution in 1917, Finland declared its independence on Dec. 6 that year. But then in December [2021], when President Putin said that Finland can't join NATO and if Finland joins NATO there would be consequences, that was a direct threat, trying to force Finland's hand. The decision now lies with the parliaments of NATO countries, which need to ratify Finland's application. Russia Reacts to Sweden and Finland Nearing NATO Membership - Newsweek The Nordic country shares an 830-mile border with Russia. Could subjects soon be history in Finland? I think that it would totally depend on the situation. Their economic power is very small, because even before the war, our trade with Russia was something like 5 percent of the total trade in Finland. They don't have anything. Relations between Finland and Russia have been conducted over many centuries, from wars between Sweden and Russia in the early 18th century, to the planned and realized creation and annexation of the Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire during Napoleonic times in the early 19th century, to the dissolution of the personal union between HELSINKI, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Finland is preparing a response to a letter it received from Russia on Tuesday that asked for security guarantees from OSCE countries, Finnish foreign minister Pekka . Finland's ground, naval and air forces are all trained and equipped with one primary aim - to repel any Russian attack. Paraguay's President-elect Santiago Pena: puppet or pragmatist? A post-Erdogan Turkey would only partly change its foreign policy We are pretty sure that they won't launch any kind of military operation because first, they don't have the capabilities and they don't have any reason to do that.Right now, they don't have enough troops to do that because they are busy in Ukraine. However, as Finland's NATO decision is fundamentally about managing its relationship with Russia, it can be expected that Finland will be a reliable ally who supports a tough approach to Russian aggression especially when this threat will loom over Europe for the foreseeable future. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2023 RFE/RL, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Finland has an embassy in Moscow,[1] a consulate-general in Saint Petersburg and two branches of the consulate (in Murmansk and Petrozavodsk). - Finland lost around 10% of its territory to the Soviet Union in the Moscow Armistice in September 1944. The statement added: Such a change in the countrys foreign policy could negatively affect Russian-Finnish relations, which had been built in the spirit of good neighbourliness and partnership for many years, and were mutually beneficial.. CNN Finland, which shares a border with Russia and seeks to join NATO, has announced a proposal to spend 139 million euros ($143 million) on building barrier fences on its eastern border with. Kajanmaa: I have never been fond of that idea, that we use Finlandization as a model for Ukraine or anyone else. It's more or less threatening. Does Finland becoming a NATO member also mean you are going to increase the numbers of your professional army? He stressed that Finland, despite its probable future Nato membership, wanted to continue dealing with Russia bilaterally in practical issues generated by the border neighbourhood and hoped to engage with Moscow in a professional manner. We had a balance [of power] in this area, and it was Putin who decided to change that balance. Finlands previous restraints national defense, the international rules-based order and close defense cooperation with NATO were deemed insufficient under the circumstances. In such a scenario where Finland would not be a member of NATO, Russia could have demanded Finlands capitulation, using the threat of nuclear or military options. As President Mr. Sauli Niinist pointed out in his speech for the Finnish Ambassadors, there is not much left of Finlands earlier relationship with Russia as trust is gone and there is nothing in sight on which to base a new beginning. Did you encounter any technical issues? Most ethnic Russians, who lived in Finland prior to 1918, immigrated to other countries, primarily Germany and USA. 2. The pair will take in a Tchaikovsky opera put on by Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre at a medieval castle, and go on a steam ship cruise on Lake Saimaa. Norwegians laugh at new fence on Russian border, Nato sends 'alive and strong' message from Estonia. - Up until 2020, only around 20% of Finns wanted Finland to join NATO in polls, with most people believing peace was best kept by maintaining friendly relations and economic ties with Russia. Finlands approach to Russia in the future stems from the stone-cold fact that it cannot escape the common 1,300 km (800 mile) border and military proximity with its neighbor. The country is the main reason for Finland to join NATO - while at the same time being the main reason for it not to join. But now you are repeating the 1930s and joining the rest of Europe in its upteempth attempt to get rid of Russia. RFE/RL: Prior to the war, a model was offered to settle the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and this was unofficially dubbed "Finlandization." It would depend on the situation, what Russia would do, what's available, what's needed. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules. This is not the right time to build connections but rather strengthen a common position in the West. What can Russia actually do? We are pretty sure that they won't launch any kind of military operation because, first, they don't have the capabilities, and they don't have any reason to do that. Faloon, Brian S. "The Dimensions of Independence: The Case of Finland. Finland in 2021 sent 5.4% of its. The planned border fence will stretch for a distance of 130 to 260 kilometers (80 to 161 miles) only part of the 830-mile-long border it shares with Russia and will come with accompanying surveillance equipment and a patrol road as well. "We're talking about weeks or months rather than years when it comes to Finland," Prime Minister Sanna Marin said last month. Even though Finland will face a more threatening and unpredictable Russia as a neighbor and as a member of NATO, it seems unlikely that it would swap its considerate Russia approach to a defiant one. - Finland had to also sign the Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance with Russia in 1948, cementing a degree of economic and political dependency and isolating it militarily from western Europe. Paraguay's President-elect Santiago Pena, a clean-cut former central bank director, will need all his wits and cool to steer the South American nation through economic headwinds hurting voters and rising pressure from farmers to cut ties with Taiwan. All rights reserved. A sense of: "We are going into NATO. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. NATO has repeatedly stressed that it is solely a defensive alliance and does not threaten Russia. Moscow says the funnelling of heavy weaponry to Ukraine by NATO countries since the war began proves the West is bent on destroying Russia. A recent survey found that just 21% of Finns support joining Nato, while 51% oppose it, with the rest not giving an answer. Finland played a difficult game during that period, acquiescing to the Soviet Union in many respects and not challenging it but maintaining its independence and political system. After 10 days of tense diplomatic exchanges the submarine was tugged off the rocks and returned to the Soviets. What is Russia going to do now?" As such, the necessities brought about by geography and the effort to avoid escalation will be the core of Finlands relationship with Russia. "Russia probably doesn't have any serious need or reason to try to interfere in our politics because our relations are as good as they can be in this situation.". We are sure that history will judge this hasty step," a ministry statement said. It might hurt for a couple of weeksbut it's not going to cripple our economy in any way. How could Russia react to Finland, Sweden joining NATO - CNBC We were between East and West and the Soviet Union was a totally different player than Russia is now. [14], However, on 1 January 2022, Finland's president, Sauli Niinist, reasserted Finnish sovereignty by stating that the Finnish government reserved the right to apply for NATO membership. Kajanmaa: Yes, it's [clear] that it's one of the biggest topics [of discussion]. While Finland shares a 1,340km (830-mile) border with Russia, its present relationship with the country is vastly different from that of Moscow's neighbours in the Baltics and Eastern Europe that fret publicly about Mr Putin's agenda in the region after the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in 2014. Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals, Reporting by Anne Kauranen in Helsinki and Johan Ahlander in Stockholm Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. We've seen in Finland that the most important part of our defenses is building willingness to defend the country among the population. For Ukraine, they are not ready for that kind of work with Russia, because they want to be independent. Of course, they can move missile defenses and so on, weapons systems close to our border. For years, Russia has said Finland shouldn't join NATO, but it's Finland's decision, [and that has] been good enough for Finland. And if you go down souththat is where the major Baltic Sea forces of Russia are, at Kaliningrad, close to Poland. 2022 16:41 English French Russian Ukrainian NATO and Finland share common values, conduct an open and regular political dialogue and engage in a wide range of practical cooperation. Vazha Tavberidze is a staff writer with RFE/RL's Georgian Service. Relations between Finland and Russia have been conducted over many centuries, from wars between Sweden and Russia in the early 18th century, to the planned and realized creation and annexation of the Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire during Napoleonic times in the early 19th century, to the dissolution of the personal union between Russia and Finland after the abdication of Russia's last czar in 1917, and subsequent birth of modern Finland. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. The spying focused on data traffic between Finland and the European Union, and is believed to have continued for four years. And that means we still need the conscription system, for sure -- even as a NATO member, the responsibility to defend Finland lies 99 percent with the Finns. And now it's maybe half of that and still going down. Russian president tells Finnish counterpart the move would be an error and negatively affect ties. Finlands Russia policy since the end of the Cold War has been labeled by many as naive, where risks and unpleasant facts were completely ignored. That figure dropped to 1,700 when border restrictions began on September 30, according to the border guards statistics. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. Contrary to the idea that Helsinki was afraid of Russian military action against Finland, the decision to apply for NATO membership in May was based above all on proactive risk management. As of February 24th, Finland's Russia policy is radically shifting and is tied to the war in Ukraine. Finland had its own civil war with involvement by Soviet Russia, was later invaded by the USSR, and had its internal politics influenced by it. And it has been a close partner of Nato since the 1990s - sending troops to operations led by the alliance in the Balkans and Afghanistan, and maintaining a relationship that is now said to be as close as it can be without Finland officially joining as a member. We will participate most probably in Baltic air surveillance activities. A prime example of this is how between 2012 and 2022, the President of Finland, Mr. Sauli Niinist has either met or held a telephone meeting with his counterpart Vladimir Putin over 40 times. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. I don't see any reason why Finland should send, for example, one brigade to Greece because we have our own threats here and vice versa. On Tuesday, member of the Russian State Duma, Alexey Chepa, issued a stark warning, saying that if NATO. What does the pact entail exactly? "But now we'll consider it as a state that is unfriendly to us.". So we will establish the northern flank of NATO in the future, and I think there are enough tasks for the Finnish defense forces. [Finlandization was from] the Cold War. First of all, I doubt that there would be separate NATO bases in Finland. Indeed, President Niinisto told Russia's Tass news agency ahead of the visit that his communication with President Putin is "rather clear and frank", with the pair able to "discuss anything". - Sweden's and Finland's difficult past with Russia goes back to 17th and 18th centuries when tsars of the Russian Empire repeatedly tried to conquer Finland, then a hinterland of the Swedish kingdom. Of course, they could look to air attacks over that long border, but our air defenses and air force are in pretty good condition, and we've seen the quality of the Russian Air Force in Ukraine -- it's really not too impressive.