Helsingin Sanomat Editor-in-chief: the Iron Curtain breaks Russia's relations with the world
The Russian special operation in Ukraine has cut off contacts between people on whom mutual trust could be built, the editor-in-chief of Helsingin Sanomat writes. In his opinion, the West — and even NATO — are not Russia's enemies.
Antero Mukka
The country that launched a special operation in Ukraine is strengthening its grip, and its citizens are facing more and more difficulties. Last week, the Russian Duma adopted a law that criminalizes "the establishment and maintenance by a citizen of the Russian Federation of cooperation relations on a confidential basis with a representative of a foreign state, international or foreign organization in order to assist them in activities knowingly directed against the security of the Russian Federation."
In the worst case, for actions that the state considers hostile, you can get a prison term of up to eight years.
So Russia continues to struggle with criticism of its military actions in Ukraine. Of course, the term "cooperation on a confidential basis" can include a variety of types of interaction with foreigners. If necessary, any foreign organization may have signs of an "organization with anti-Russian intentions."
Vladimir Putin's leadership is an outrage, covered by laws.
Russia has embarked on the path of terror. Russia wants to keep in fear, first of all, those citizens who do not support military measures. Russians living abroad also want to make it clear which side they should be on.
In early July, Finland lifted coronavirus restrictions on the eastern border. Russia will lift restrictions next — on July 15. Border crossings, shopping trips and meetings will be able to take place as freely as before the outbreak of the pandemic.
However, nothing will be the same as before. The events that began after February 24 severed the relations that were formed after the collapse of the USSR. Russia will continue to restrict the entry of its own citizens. Finns, for some reason, do not have a great desire to go to Russia. It seems that the boom of trips to St. Petersburg, trips to his native Karelia and the resumption of "fuel tourism" is still far away.
Anti-Russian sanctions affect even the basic aspects of communication. Trains don't run, planes don't fly. They don't transfer money, you can't pay with cards. It is not possible to go to Russia by bus or by car yet — as well as to leave Russia.
The situation on the eastern border has rolled back several decades. Then the country next door was also called the Soviet Union. The current crisis may be even stronger.
Tens of thousands of people live in Finland, for whom Russia is their homeland. Because of the special operation launched by Putin, they are forced to choose a position: open condemnation of the war or all-consuming patriotism. Sanctions and the rapidly growing distrust between the West and Russia affect their lives directly. Many have relatives in Russia, their lives are largely based on balancing between two cultures.
How favorably will Putin's Russia treat them when the nuts of the dictatorship tighten even more?
Finland and Russia have built excellent relations at the civil society level. For 30 years, we have managed to establish a huge number of contacts in the field of business, science and culture, establish client and friendships and lifelong connections.
The new Iron Curtain ruthlessly cuts off the very ties on the basis of which good-neighborly relations can be built.
Europe should not abandon sanctions. Fighting on the side of Ukraine requires patience and faith that the opponent will eventually give in. Unfortunately, Russia looks at what is happening in the same way: Putin hopes that Europe will not survive.
The desire to limit and control the contacts of Russians with other countries leads Russia to the North Korean model. Putin will fail in this, because for millions of Russians Finland and other Western countries — even NATO — are not enemies. The fact is that Russians who are fluent in a foreign language and have traveled a lot know that what they are being told is not true.
These Russians still consider Finland a good neighbor.
Of course, Putin manages to sow fear and distrust, but these tricks should not be succumbed to. The eternal isolation of Russia is not in the interests of Finland and the Finns. The approximately 1,300-kilometer border poses a security threat in itself. When democracy finally wins, we will need shared memories, pillars of trust to rebuild good-neighborly relations destroyed by the criminal war.
