People hold a giant Ukrainian flag as they take part in an ecumenical prayer moment in support of Ukraine amid Russia's invasion in Helsinki on April 18. "It's a special day for Finland. 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. All Rights Reserved. And I think what [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan wants to do now is get some face time in this issue -- in what in Finland we call "night milking," meaning he wants to see what he can get out of this. But the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 prompted Finns to seek security under NATO's collective defence pact, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all. Naturally, Russia was at the heart of the discussions. They Don't Have Anything', It's all [Putin's] fault. We had a balance [of power] in this area, and it was Putin who decided to change that balance. World Food Programme lifts suspension of operations in Sudan, King Charles' coronation to feature historic chairs, Australia to reveal huge budget rebound, pledge restraint in response, Head of Mexican migration authority charged over deadly Juarez fire. 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. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. They had some sort of a good relationship with Ukraine before 2014, and now the situation is what it is -- and that's why our citizens have changed their minds. So, it will change the basic relationship. RFE/RL: How would Finland's NATO membership change the security paradigm in the region, especially with regards to Russia? 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. They don't have any land force [to do that]; 80 percent of their combat-capable land forces are in Ukraine. Could subjects soon be history in Finland? It was our survival mechanism. How do you intend to deal with that? Finland cannot rely on the effectiveness of Russian border control, the statement said. It's more or less threatening. [They could stop] selling us gas. But in 1809 Finland was ceded to Russia, and in 1812 the Russian tsar Alexander I moved the capital of the grand duchy of Finland from Turku (bo) to Helsinki. "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. Will Finland and Sweden Join NATO? - Foreign Policy Europe can't decide if it wants to punish ordinary Russians for Putin's war. However, Finlands previous close and active communication with Russia at its height of power should be left on the shelf for the time being, but these channels should be kept in the reserve for when and if their time comes. After decades of neutrality, Finland has now formally applied to join NATO. 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. 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. Additionally, he believes that transatlantic cooperation is needed for the maintenance of sovereignty and security of some EU member states, including Finland. So we will establish the northern flank of NATO in the future, and I think there are enough tasks for the Finnish defense forces. The Russian president has warned his Finnish counterpart that relations between the two neighbours could be negatively affected if Finland follows through with plans to apply for Nato membership. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. What can Russia actually do? We can't lower our guard. - Finland's long-ruling President Urho Kekkonen, in office between 1956 and 1982, focused on maintaining friendly and close relations with Moscow in order to preserve independence by avoiding conflict - a tactic known as Finlandisation. As such, the necessities brought about by geography and the effort to avoid escalation will be the core of Finlands relationship with Russia. - Joseph Stalin's Red Army attacked Finland in 1939, starting what became known as the Winter War in which Finland fought off the Soviet invasion attempt on its own. Attacking with land forces across the border is mostly impossible. "[The] wide consensus between leading politicians is that it is not timely to discuss this issue," he says. - 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. Finland's Changing Security Niinist and the Finnish prime minister, Sanna Marin, on Thursday jointly endorsed Finlands Nato bid and recommended the country must apply for it without delay to guarantee security amid Russias military manoeuvres in Ukraine and Europes changed geopolitical and security landscape. 'There will be no way back': will war change Finland's pragmatic Relations since then have been both warm and cool, fluctuating with time. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Finnish President Saul Niinisto said Finland's most significant contribution to NATO's common deterrence and defence would be to defend its own territory. The Finnish border was one of the few entry points for Russians after many Western countries shut their air space and borders to Russian planes in response to the Ukraine invasion. - In 1981, in what in the West was dubbed the Whiskey on the Rocks incident, a Soviet Whiskey-class submarine ran aground on the coast in southern Sweden. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. History of Finland | Britannica It goes without saying that self-reflection regarding Russia is needed. Inevitably, the changes will be reflected in its Russia relations. The spying focused on data traffic between Finland and the European Union, and is believed to have continued for four years. land Islands. It's not President Putin who says what Finland can and cannot do. The spying was uncovered in spring 2013, and as of October 2013[update] the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo) was investigating the breach. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. - Finland lost around 10% of its territory to the Soviet Union in the Moscow Armistice in September 1944. [And then] we saw with the aggression against Ukraine that Putin is blatantly willing to use force against even other Slavic nations. If Finland joins NATO, then we are on the enemy side, so to say. A foreign ministry statement said the move would seriously damage bilateral relations . "How they assure the safety and independence of their own country is the Finns' choice. Avoiding tensions was considered important, said Niinist, Finlands president since 2012 and one of a handful of western leaders who has been in regular dialogue with Putin over the past decade. Finland Prepared for Worst, But Sees No Immediate Russian Threat to Its The View From Finland: 'The Russian Garrisons Have Been Emptied. Turkey, Hungary, even the Croatian president, seem to be unwilling to commit. During the Cold War and ever since, we tried to create such a relationship [so] that we wouldn't have any arguments between each other. 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. In turn, Alexander I granted Finland, for the first time in Finnish history, a statehood as Grand Duchy of Finland and gave Finnish language an official status (prior to 1819 Swedish was the only official language in Finland). 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. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. - 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. The discussion [with Putin] was straightforward and unambiguous and was held without exaggeration. The Kremlins press service said in a statement that Vladimir Putin told Sauli Niinist that Finlands abandonment of its traditional policy of military neutrality would be an error since there are no threats to Finlands security. [2] In addition, on December 11, 1811, Russia transferred to Finland Vyborg Governorate, that Russia acquired from Sweden earlier in 1721 and 1743. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. The View From Finland: 'The Russian Garrisons Have Been Emptied. They 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. Given widespread support for the existing state of affairs, Finland has not seen the same kind of political meddling that Russia has been accused of in many European states and the US, Mr Kangaspuro says. Putin warns Finland NATO membership would harm relations Sweden said it detected radiation that indicated that the vessel was armed with nuclear weapons. 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. - 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". If Russia reduces its border control, this may cause additional pressure at the Finnish end to control illegal entry. "[3] Following the Finnish Civil War and October Revolution, Russians were virtually equated with Communists and due to official hostility to Communism, Finno-Soviet relations in the period between the world wars remained tense. Finlands national security will be linked to the common border and its stability, which create the need for some level of communication. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much They can arrange military exercises, move those long-range missile units close to the border. The Ukraine crisis has strengthened Finland's transatlantic relations with the United States. U.S. Marines participate in a military exercise called Cold Response 2022, gathering around 30,000 troops from NATO member countries, plus Finland and Sweden, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, near Bjerkvik in the Arctic Circle in Norway on March 24. Finland-Russia relations - Wikipedia All rights reserved. Putin said negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv had been suspended due to Ukraines lack of interest in a serious and constructive dialogue. Furthermore, Russia sees Finland's inclusion in NATO as a threat to Russian national security since the United States would likely be able to deploy military equipment in Finland if the country were to join NATO. In his other rather gritty remark, the President noted how we must not forget how Russia has been Finlands neighbor both in bad days and in better days and will continue to be one even if there were no turn for the better. But despite its namesake, the term does not apply to the Finland-Russia relationship of today. The Soviet Union did not officially acknowledge it shot down the planes until 1991. During the Cold War, the somewhat derisive term "Finlandisation" was coined by West German scholars to describe how the northern European country adapted its policies to suit the Soviet Union while remaining officially neutral and keeping good ties with the West. In an agreement reached late last year, Helsinki agreed to buy 64 F-35 Lightning II Strike Fighters with its maintenance and support package by 2030 from the United States. People in Finland's emotions have included a combination of fear, anger and, above all, disappointment towards Russia. "It is a great day for Finland and I want to say that it is an important day for NATO," Niinisto said at a joint news conference with Stoltenberg. The response came after Niinist told Putin in a phone conversation that the militarily non-aligned Nordic country, which has a complex history with its eastern neighbour, will decide to apply for Nato membership in the coming days. When Russia invaded Finland in 1808, Helsinki was again burned to the ground. Moscow says the funnelling of heavy weaponry to Ukraine by NATO countries since the war began proves the West is bent on destroying Russia. 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. [citation needed], Finland fought two wars against the Soviet Union during World War II: the Winter War and the Continuation War. Toveri: The thing is that 90 percent of that border is wilderness, it's just forestno road, no network, no anything. In recent years this has been visible through several high-level meetings between Russia and the United States which have been facilitated by Helsinki. World Food Programme lifts suspension of operations in Sudan, King Charles' coronation to feature historic chairs, Australia to reveal huge budget rebound, pledge restraint in response, Head of Mexican migration authority charged over deadly Juarez fire. Turkey says Stockholm harbours members of what Ankara considers terrorist groups - which Sweden denies - and has demanded their extradition as a step toward ratification. RFE/RL: I know Finland very closely cooperates with NATO, in NATO's Partnership For Peace program and has taken part in NATO missions. 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. I don't think that any Greek or Italian units will be seen in Finland because it's a different part of NATO. Kajanmaa: I think, from the politicians' point of view, they realized at that moment that someone else was trying to decide on behalf of Finland and that's not acceptable. As of February 24th, Finland's Russia policy is radically shifting and is tied to the war in Ukraine. 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. RFE/RL's Georgian Service spoke to Major General Pekka Toveri, the former intelligence chief of the Finnish General Staff, and Colonel Petteri Kajanmaa, director of the Department of Military Skills at the National Defense College, about Finland's changing security outlook, the potential stumbling blocks ahead, and why so-called "Finlandization" was never a good model for Ukraine. It is expected to pass with overwhelming support. During these years Karelia was a highly Russian occupied military ground; the operation was led by Russian general Waltteri Asikainen. - Sweden and the Soviet Union had several diplomatic skirmishes throughout the Cold War, often involving alleged or proven submarine infringements of Swedish waters by the Soviets. And [they can do] what happened in 2015 -- they can push refugees from Russia to Finland. Kajanmaa: It depends on how we negotiate with NATO. 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. Russian President Vladimir Putin is travelling to Finland at a symbolic time: the country is celebrating its 100th year of independence from Russia. () And of course, we need to consider which is the best way to ensure that the same will never happen to Finland," Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin said ahead of Finland's NATO decision. [Finlandization was from] the Cold War. As ajournalist and political analyst, he has covered issues of international security, post-Soviet conflicts, and Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations. The construction of such a fence is expected to take three to four years and it can endure for roughly 50 years, according to the Finnish Border Guard. 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 . "Russia will be forced to take retaliatory steps, both of a. I don't think Hungary is such a big problem. They do have some bases and military installations there. The US president, Joe Biden, held a joint call on Friday with Niinist and Andersson where, according to a White House statement, he underscored his support for Natos open door policy and for the right of Finland and Sweden to decide their own future, foreign policy and security arrangements. - In the chaos resulting from the Russian Revolution in 1917, Finland declared its independence on Dec. 6 that year. As Finland joins NATO, look back at 1939 Soviet invasion - USA Today - Joining the EU and signing its mutual defence clause meant Finland switched from formal neutrality to military non-alignment, but Finland opted to stay out of Western defence alliance NATO. We will cooperate with Sweden and Norway in the northern part. It is whole new border infrastructure and new approach to border surveillance. As a result, Finland had to ensure it could fend for itself. If not publicly then at least in private, Finland has always been prepared for the Russian threat. President Putin told a news conference during a visit to Finland last July, according to Euronews. 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". - The most serious incident of the 50s came when Soviet war planes downed two Swedish aircraft, one military and one civilian, within a few days of each other over the Baltic Sea in 1952. "This is now a thing of the past. Kajanmaa: Of course, Russia can harm [Finland] and they are trying to put pressure on our decision-makers. - 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. Finland shares a 830-mile (1,340km) border with Russia, the longest of any EU member. 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. Flickr/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Senior border guard officer Juho Pellinen walks along a fence marking the boundary area between Finland and Russia near the border crossing of Pelkola, in Imatra, Finland on November 18, 2022. vladimir putin olaf scholz crisis ucrania lkl xavier colas_00011504.png. 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. As President Niinist said in his recent speech, on the contrary, Finland needs to carefully reconsider any dependencies that could be used against it. Factbox: A brief history of Finland's and Sweden's strained ties with But, actually, we are not worried because our society -- and, of course, our officials -- are ready for those kinds of actions. 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. Toveri: It's not a security guarantee. All those basic security policy instruments, which we had in Europe, [were] ruined at that moment when [Russian President Vladimir] Putin decided to launch his military operation [against Ukraine on February 24]. HELSINKI (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin warned his Finnish counterpart Saturday that relations between the two neighbors could be "negatively affected" if Finland follows through with plans to apply for NATO membership. And now it's maybe half of that and still going down. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. - 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. The Path To NATO Russia, Iran ties reaching new levels: Tehran | Al Mayadeen English Finland granted the islands autonomy in 1920 but . Something New, Something Old - Finland on the Verge of a New 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. They can fly over Finnish airspace. Almost 17,000 Russians traveled to Finland last weekend in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin 's announcement of a partial military mobilization of 300,000 citizens to aid the war . Toveri: No, I don't expect any changes. Finland's accession brings NATO significant military capabilities. NATO and Finland actively cooperate in peace-support operations, exercise together and exchange analysis and information. If not publicly then at least in private, Finland has always been prepared for the Russian threat. Russia has repeatedly said it will not tolerate the two countries joining NATO. On Tuesday, member of the Russian State Duma, Alexey Chepa, issued a stark warning, saying that if NATO. So I think that they could help there. Helsinki has increasingly restricted crossings on the eastern border it shares with Russia. The decision now lies with the parliaments of NATO countries, which need to ratify Finland's application. A Looming Cable Race in the Arctic: What Role for NATO? They don't have anything. Is climate change killing Australian wine? We also examine Europes relations with Russia and Eurasia, China and the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. 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. What NATO military infrastructure do you expect to be introduced in Finland, in terms of bases, air-defense systems, for example? Finland to Close Russian Border Amid Travel Spike From Putin - Newsweek Importantly, various government-level contacts and the experience gained from them have made Finland an interesting partner in the West. Same goes for army units. HELSINKI/BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) - Finland formally joined NATO on Tuesday, its flag unfurling outside the military bloc's Brussels headquarters, in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that drew a threat from Moscow of "counter-measures.". Most ethnic Russians, who lived in Finland prior to 1918, immigrated to other countries, primarily Germany and USA. Finland becomes 31st member of Nato in Brussels ceremony, Finland to join Nato on Tuesday as Russia sounds border warning, Finland to formally join Nato within days, Jens Stoltenberg says, Finlands way into Nato clears as hold-out Turkey votes in favour, Turkish president lifts veto on Finlands Nato application, Turkey has made its mind up about our Nato membership, says Finland, Erdoan says Turkey may accept Finland into Nato without Sweden, Turkey condemns burning of Quran during far-right protest in Sweden, Turkey pushes back vote on Sweden and Finlands Nato accession. She says perceptions that Finland somehow sits in the middle between Russia and the West are misguided. This is a harsh and perhaps a realist school of thought reminder especially for smaller states. It's not nothing, but it's not as serious as it sounds. Toveri: That is a difficult question to answer. That is still the case. From midnight 1314 May 2022, Russia suspended electricity supplies to Finland. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. Instead of major units, I could see maybe the need for certain capabilities that we don't have ourselves just now, such as long-distance air defense/ballistic missile-defense units. 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. Then [regarding] military power, [Putin's] forces are tied up in Ukraine. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The speeches by Finlands leadership reflected on how Russia's war and aggression had increased the threat to Finland's security, and with it, drove Finland to seek security under NATOs umbrella. Finland has also been moving to end imports of Russian coal, gas and oil. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. Having channels to Moscow has rather been about strengthening Finlands international position and having an ear on matters that have an impact on its immediate national security as well as keeping an eye on its neighbor. This is not the right time to build connections but rather strengthen a common position in the West. Marins governing Social Democratic party approved the application on Saturday, paving the way for a parliamentary vote next week to endorse the move. Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals, Reporting by Anne Kauranen, Tom Little and Essi Lehto in Helsinki; and Andrew Gray, Kate Abnett, Jan Strupczewski and Sabine Siebold in Brussels; writing by Angus MacSwan, Mark Heinrich and Patricia Zengerle, editing by Nick Macfie, Richard Chang and Rosalba O'Brien, Air defences shoot down 15 of 18 missiles launched at Ukraine in dead of night, Oil depot fire part of Ukraine's preparation for counter-offensive - military, Ukrainian defenders oust Russian forces from some positions in Bakhmut - Ukraine general, Pope says Vatican involved in secret Ukraine peace mission. His writing has been published in various Georgian and international media outlets, including The Times, The Spectator, The Daily Beast, and IWPR. So where does Finland stand vis--vis its giant neighbour next door? RFE/RL: Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer land border with Russia. Undoubtedly we appreciate Finland's neutral status.". And if you go down souththat is where the major Baltic Sea forces of Russia are, at Kaliningrad, close to Poland. Population migration from other parts of Russia to Finland was de facto prohibited until early 1900's. They don't have this leverage [in Finland]. RFE/RL: Did Putin's December statement tip the scales in NATO's favor in the minds of the Finnish government and society? First published on Mon 3 Apr 2023 09.10 EDT. What is Russia going to do now?" Why are Sweden and Finland not yet in Nato and does the alliance want them? Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. For example, it is possible to imagine a limited Russian military or hybrid threat scenario against Finland in order to absorb Helsinki into Moscows orbit. So there's not much they can stop.