Finland says border with Russia to stay closed

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has said that the country’s border with Russia can only be reopened if there are firm guarantees that Moscow will not use migrants and refugees as a means of political pressure against Finland.

Speaking in an interview with Finnish broadcaster Yle, Stubb said such assurances would have to come from Russia’s top political leadership.

“The border between Finland and Russia can only be opened if there is certainty that Russia will not use migrants and refugees as a means of exerting pressure on Finland," he said. 

He was responding to questions about why Estonia has kept some border crossings with Russia open without experiencing similar migration pressure, while Finland has opted to close its border.

Stubb also referred to a recent visit to Lithuania, where he said he observed the situation at the border with Belarus, describing ongoing migration pressures there as a continuing concern.

Separately, the Finnish president also commented on the state of the war in Ukraine, saying Kyiv is currently in its strongest position since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

“Given the scale of losses in the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukraine is now in its strongest position since February 2022," he said, noting that from military standpoint, the situation for Ukraine looks better than at any other point during the full-scale war.

“The first year of this war for Ukraine was a struggle for survival. Then, for three years, it was about resilience. And now it’s pure mathematics,” Stubb noted.

He also said that, in his assessment, Russian casualties significantly exceed Ukrainian losses and suggested that morale inside Russia is weakening.

“In my estimation, for every Ukrainian soldier killed, there are about eight Russian soldiers killed,” he said.

“Furthermore, support for the war in Russia is declining, meaning Ukraine now has the upper hand,” the Finnish president added.

By Sabina Mammadli