Finland unlikely to send troops to Ukraine, says MP

The head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Finnish Parliament, Johannes Koskinen (Social Democratic Party), believes that Finnish military personnel are unlikely to be sent to Ukraine, and the country will limit itself to providing technical staff and experts.

“Finland, as a neighbouring country, is certainly not obliged to send [troops to Ukraine] on a large scale. This is more about participating in auxiliary activities, such as technical maintenance, providing expert assessments, and training,” he said, Caliber.Az writes, citing Finnish media.

The MP noted that the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee plans to hear from the Defence Forces and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in early September regarding Finland’s participation in providing security guarantees for Ukraine.

He is convinced that pressure on Russia needs to be increased through sanctions, both from the EU and the US.

The Nordic country joined NATO in April 2023, a significant shift prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. As a NATO member sharing a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia, Finland prioritises its own defence while contributing to collective security. Sending troops to Ukraine could escalate tensions with Russia, which Finland seeks to avoid.

Finland has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, providing over €2 billion in military and humanitarian aid since 2022, including artillery, anti-tank weapons, and training programs. Its contributions focus on enhancing Ukraine’s capabilities without direct combat involvement.

By Khagan Isayev