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helskärmFinland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen varnar för hot från Ryssland. Photo: AP
Putin has “problems” with Finland.
Now they are preparing for the worst possible situation after the strategic threat from Russia.
– Långsiktigt kan det betyda vad som helst, Säger Minister of Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen.
- Russian President Putin plans to build up arms along the border with Finland, a move perceived as a threat after Finland joined NATO.
- Finland is preparing for possible conflicts despite the fact that Russia has not yet implemented its plans. The Finnish foreign minister, Elina Valtonen, has stated that the threat is more strategic than immediate military.
- Finland has also experienced Russian hybrid warfare, with asylum-seeking refugees sent towards the Finnish border. Finland has extended the border closure indefinitely until Russia stops this method.
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Valtonen uttalade sig om Putin och hotet nära den finnska border during the NATO foreign minister meeting in Brussels.
People have gathered to celebrate the defense alliance’s 75th birthday.
There were no happy Russian faces when Finland were approved as members of NATO.
“Now there is a problem”
Putin announced that Russia are to equip themselves along the Finnish border.
– The West took Finland and pulled it into NATO. Why? Did we have a dispute with Finland? Putin said last year.
– No problem. Now there is a problem. Now we will create the Leningrad military district there and definitely carry out troop buildup.
According to Elina Valtonen, Putin has not yet carried out his threats.
– Russia has previously had troops along and near the Finnish border. So in that way the border has never been empty, she says till The Moscow Times.
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full screenFinnish soldiers during a military exercise. Photo: Finnish Army
“Ready and Able”
– The Russians announced their plans to establish these new military districts almost a year ago. And we haven’t seen anything happen since. Obviously they are in no rush.
But Finland is preparing for a possible sharper situation in the future.
– We do not feel an immediate military threat from Russia. The threat is more strategic as we see that Russia is not just using words to threaten its neighbors or just dreaming of an imperialist agenda. But is also prepared and capable of carrying out these plans, says Valtonen till The Moscow Times.
– In the long term, it can of course mean anything.
Finland has already felt Russian hybrid warfare since large numbers of asylum-seeking refugees from Africa and the Middle East have been sent on towards the Finnish border.
Russian authorities reportedly went so far as to bus refugees to places near the Finnish border stations – and provided them with bicycles to make the final journey.
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full screen All border crossings between Finland and Russia are closed. Photo: Johan Hallnäs/TT
Annoying Putin
This caused Finland to close the border crossings with Russia last year.
– Russia has done this before against Finland, the last time was in 2015. Probably it is a way to show that they can do it. But I don’t want to speculate about the motive, says Valtonen till The Moscow Times.
Finland stated on Thursday that it will extend the closure of the border indefinitely and will open it only when the Russians stop sending refugees.
The Finnish foreign minister states that there is evidence that Russia “not only mobilizes people towards the border to cross the border to Finland from its own territory, but also from abroad in their home countries”.
Valtonen probably angered Putin all the more by stating in the interview with The Moscow Times that Ukraine’s drone attacks against targets inside Russia are “justified” and not ruling out that Finnish soldiers could be sent to war in the future.
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full screen A closed border crossing between Finland and Russia. Photo: AP
One thousand billion to Ukraine
– In this situation, Finland will not send troops to Ukraine. But what happens in the future – we have not only the ability, but the obligation, to discuss every possibility. We don’t know what will happen in the future. But in the short and medium term, it is completely out of the question, she says.
At this week’s meetings, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has received support for investigating more long-term joint NATO support for Ukraine.
According to information from NATO officials and diplomats, it is about the equivalent of roughly one thousand billion Swedish kronor over five years.
Some form of decision is expected when NATO’s heads of state and government meet in Washington in July.
– I am sure that at the summit we will adopt a package with increased support for Ukraine. How exactly it will look, it is too early to say anything about, says Stoltenberg at a press conference according to TT.
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full screen NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wants to increase support for Ukraine. Photo: Magnus Sandberg
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