Finnish President Says EU Nations Could Restore Russia Ties

(MENAFN) European Union countries could eventually seek to restore relations with Russia "in one form or another" once the conflict in Ukraine is resolved, Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated on Monday. However, he emphasized that any future engagement would be vastly different from the pre-war arrangements.

Stubb, who has previously stated that Finland aims to pursue practical, interest-driven ties with Russia once the conflict ends, emphasized that such a change would only be possible after a fair and lasting peace is reached in Ukraine.

“Establishing relations between Russia and the rest of Europe in one form or another will only be possible once a just and lasting peace has been achieved in Ukraine,” Stubb said at the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, held in the Aland Islands, a Finnish autonomous region.

During the Cold War, Finland maintained a policy of neutrality, fostering stable relations with the Soviet Union, a stance that persisted even after the USSR’s collapse. However, tensions have escalated since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Stubb acknowledged that Finland’s current relations with Moscow remain "frozen," while cooperation among Baltic Sea nations has intensified. He also highlighted Finland and Sweden’s recent NATO membership as a key development. “We cannot turn back the tide of history,” he remarked.

The Finnish president has previously discussed the potential for rebuilding ties with Russia after the conflict, mentioning in April 2025 that Finland must “morally prepare” for renewed relations with Moscow. He also noted that EU leaders had begun discussions on the possibility of engaging with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Russia had never been the first to damage relations and continued to seek amicable ties with its neighbors. He pointed out that Finland's NATO membership has effectively “reduced relations to zero,” a sentiment he extended to Sweden, which joined NATO in the previous year.

Since 2022, Finland has imposed several rounds of sanctions on Russia, in line with EU policies. The country has also implemented stricter entry regulations for Russian citizens and closed several border checkpoints. This has significantly impacted Finnish businesses, particularly those involved in trade, retail, and tourism, which were previously reliant on cross-border exchanges. Currently, all southeastern border crossings remain shut, except for the Vainikkala rail station, which remains open for freight traffic.

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