Finland considers partial reopening of border with Russia

Finnish authorities are weighing plans to resume traffic at select border crossing points should the eastern border with Russia be reopened.

Head of Finland’s border security unit, Jussi Napola, told local media that the number of checkpoints to be reopened would be determined based on evaluations of cross-border traffic and the demand for movement along different sections of the border, Caliber.Az reports.

Napola highlighted that, prior to the closure, traffic at the border had already dropped to just 18% of pre-war levels. He added that, considering current sanctions and visa restrictions, the volume of crossings would likely be even lower if the border were reopened.

Earlier, on September 18, Sergei Ivanov, a permanent member of the Security Council and Special Representative of the President of Russia for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport, said that Finland had suffered significantly from the severance of ties with Russia, and the country's economy was also collapsing.

On April 16, the Finnish government decided to keep the border with Russia closed until further notice. It was clarified that the decree on the indefinite extension of the border closure has been in effect for about a year, while the new document replaced a similar decision dated April 4, 2024.

By Vafa Guliyeva