Contents tagged with Finland
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Finland says even if Russia objects it is their responsibility to assist MH17 investigation
Finland has an obligation to cooperate in the investigation of the crash of flight МН17 in eastern Ukraine, a Finnish politician and Chairman of the Opposition Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP), Antti Rinne, believes.
According to the politician, this is a serious crime, and that’s why Holland, who is leading the international investigation, sought the assistance of his country.
“On the other hand, there are weapon supply contracts and these contracts have limits,” he said, as YLE …
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NATO agrees to provide assistance to Finland in the event of a crisis in the Baltic
NATO will be able to provide assistance to Finland in the event of a crisis in the Baltic region. This was said by the Alliance’s Deputy Secretary-General, Alexander Vershbow.
“It is possible that a crisis in the Baltic Sea region could affect NATO members and Finland. NATO would then probably decide to respond to this by protecting member countries and by providing assistance to its close partners,” Lännen Media quoted Vershbow as saying.
Vershbow also spoke about the “very close ties” …
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Russia places S-400 missile system along border with Finland
The Russian Federation has deployed two S-400 anti-aircraft long and medium-range missile systems near the Finnish border, according to the Finnish Broadcasting Company, Yle. The Minister of Defense of Finland, Jussi Niinisto, said that this move was predictable.
"Earlier Russia indicated it was making such moves, for example, the placement of the S-400 in the Kola Peninsula as well as in the Crimea. It is normal practice. Russia is using these systems to replace older S-300s," Niinisto said. …
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Finnish experts see Russia as a 'real threat' to their country
Russia may pose a threat to Finland in the political, economic and military spheres, as the last report of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) reads.
“The Finnish authorities should realize that Russia may use its economic ties to create a conflict. Moscow’s policy towards Helsinki may be very aggressive and most issues may be politicized and used to increase tensions,” Yle reports.
As a result, experts call on Finland to reconsider its diplomatic relations with Moscow and …
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Experts: Russia is trying to influence domestic policies and public opinion in Finland
Russia represents a growing risk for Finland according to a recent report of the Institute of International Relations of Finland.
Finnish state broadcasting company YLE reports that according to the document, Russia uses more aggressive methods to achieve its foreign policy goals. In addition to this factor, the development of the domestic situation in Russia also poses a risk to Finland. The experts presented a list of possible threats to Finland as well as recommendations for risk prevention. …
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Finland to sign military cooperation agreement with the US
Finland plans to sign an agreement on military cooperation with Washington before the presidential elections in the USA. Reuters quoted Finland’s Defense Minister Jussi Niinistö in its report.
According to Niinistö, the framework agreement, carried out against the backdrop of growing discontent in the Nordic countries with the Russian military activity in the region, will not contain obligations for military assistance, which would imply NATO membership.
"It will cover areas in which we …
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The Foreign Ministers of Finland and Sweden agree on the need for a common approach towards Russia
The Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Margot Wallström, and the Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Timo Soini, met in Stockholm and discussed, in particular, Russia's proposal to hold consultations on the security of the Baltic Sea region. According to the Ministers, the country was encouraged to follow a united approach regarding the Russian Federation, YLE reports.
Soini was skeptical about holding the bilateral consultations with Russia regarding security issues in the Baltic Sea …
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EU to fund pipeline to help Finland reduce its dependence on Russian energy
The European Union will provide €187.5 million for the construction of a gas pipeline which will allow Finland to reduce its dependence on Russian energy, Deutsche Welle reported.
On Friday, July 15, EU member states excepted the proposal of the European Commission to finance the construction of the pipeline, which will connect Estonia and Finland. This was reported on the website of the European Commission. The pipeline, which will begin operating in 2020, aims to reduce Finland's dependence …
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Almost half the population of Finland supports holding a referendum on joining NATO
According to a survey conducted by Taloustutkimus market research company, almost half of residents of Finland support holding a referendum on joining NATO, Finish news portal, Yle reported. 48% of residents stated that they want a national referendum and 40% of respondents expressed their opposition. Mostly people over 65 years old supported the referendum. The opponents of the referendum, as a rule, were aged 35–49 years.
At the same time, media surveys, conducted jointly by the newspaper …
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Lavrov says Finland should not give into temptation of joining NATO
Moscow calls on Helsinki not to give into the temptation of joining NATO’s actions directed against Russia.
The statement was made by the Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, in response to a question asking what countermeasures Russia would take if Finland joins NATO, as reported by the Russian news agency TASS.
“This is a pure military and technical question. It is obvious that if an organization which considers you an enemy is approaching your borders, you have …