Russian FM says territorial concessions often key to peace deals cites Finland 1944 as model

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that territorial concessions have often been an integral part of negotiated agreements.

Lavrov stressed that such changes are “frequently a necessary component of reaching settlements” and pointed to numerous historical examples, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

The minister commented in response to Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s attempt to draw a historical parallel between the current situation in Ukraine and events of 1944, when Finland ceded parts of its territory to the Soviet Union to avoid repercussions for its collaboration with Nazi Germany.

Lavrov recalled that during the Second World War, Finland fought against the USSR alongside Nazi Germany, and its military units were involved in several war crimes.

However, by 1944, to avert total defeat, Finland chose to sign peace agreements with the Soviet Union and declare permanent neutrality, he noted.

He used this historical example to illustrate how territorial adjustments have often been a pragmatic step in resolving conflicts.

By Aghakazim Guliyev