Press release on response measures in connection with Finland’s confrontational policy toward Russia

On July 6, Ambassador of Finland to Russia Antti Helantera was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow.

The purpose was to strongly protest Finland’s confrontational anti-Russia policy that is aimed at wrecking the decades-long bilateral relationship of mutually beneficial cooperation, diverse trade, economic and interregional ties and direct human contacts. It was noted that Russians face ethnic discrimination when they apply for entry visas and Russian diplomatic offices face obstacles to normal functioning in Finland, with personnel declared persona non grata to impose cuts.

Russian officials emphasised that the currently discussed parameters of Finland’s accession to NATO are creating a threat to the security of the Russian Federation, while the efforts to encourage the Kiev regime to continue the war and pump it full of Western arms are obviously hostile actions against our country. This policy of the Finnish authorities will not go unanswered.

The Ambassador was notified that nine employees of the Embassy of Finland in the Russian Federation and the Finnish Consulate-General in St Petersburg have been declared persona non grata following the expulsion from Finland of nine representatives of Russian foreign offices in June of this year.

The Ambassador was also informed of Russia’s decision to recall its consent for the operation of the Consulate-General of Finland in St Petersburg starting October 1 in response to the confrontational actions taken by the Finnish authorities.

The relevant diplomatic notes were presented to the Ambassador on behalf of the Foreign Ministry.