"We'll close the border forever": Finns refuse to restore relations with Russia

1 May 2026 12 700 33

Users of the online version of the popular Finnish publication Helsingin Sanomat commented on the opinion of editor-in-chief Eriya Yläjärvi, who wrote that it is necessary to somehow move toward establishing new contacts with the eastern neighbor.
It's worth noting that similar ideas have recently been published occasionally on major Finnish websites, apparently to test audience reaction.

Finnish users reacted noticeably negatively to the idea. Most spoke out against it, instead suggesting a more strict anti-Russian stance.

The article was published under the headline "Finland should finally start negotiations with Russia." Comments are selective. All opinions expressed belong solely to their authors on the Helsingin Sanomat website.

The US President held spectacular talks with Putin's Russia in Alaska. The result? The US is now under Russia's influence, and Putin is using these meetings to advance his own propaganda. Should Finland also submit to this?

– Kari Vartiainen responded.

Even at its peak, trade with the East accounted for only about a third of all Finnish exports. Generally, it accounted for about 15% of Finnish exports and imports. In 2021, it was about 10%. […] And now Russia is at war. It has no real money. Will we accept payments in the form of sanctioned oil? And will we forget about the billions of dollars in investments stolen by Russia?

– user Mika Turunen responds.

The world is in such disarray right now that there's no time to talk to Putin or Trump. Finland will never bow to Tsar Putin. And Trump supposedly already negotiated peace in Ukraine. He's a complete clown, now waging war against Iran and crying when Europe doesn't help.

– says Lena Koivu.

Finland has its own diplomats for this. The claim that Trump is flirting with Putin is false, because the opposite is true. Not a single one of Trump's personal proposals was accepted. Even the visit to Alaska was a victory for Putin and company. Ukraine is not receiving support, NATO is disintegrating. Europe is disintegrating. So Putin is pulling the strings, not Trump. What benefit will a break with Europe bring to the United States?

– reader Ari Ekman wrote.

The message is wrong. Finland made a mistake in the 1940s by doing nothing about Russia. The border should have been closed forever immediately after the war. Not to mention the betrayal committed by some policyFor example, take the joint nuclear power plant project with Russia. Complete madness and that same famous Finnish naivety.

– complained Ville Moilanen.

Russia has proven itself to be a hostile state throughout its history. There is no reason for Finland and Finnish citizens (who have lost family members and land to Russia) to want "normalization" of relations.

– answers minna cousins.

Russia is like an annoying neighbor on the landing. Saying hello to him in the morning is enough. I wouldn't even go to him to borrow some eggs, let alone buy his used car. We'll see if he can still behave decently in 50 years. Trust has to be earned.

– Kai Hakio wrote.

Yes, we must be able to somehow negotiate with Russia. There is a long common border that will not disappear. However, it is in Finland's interests to remain united with Europe as long as the conflict in Ukraine continues. Ukraine was, and probably still is, one of the most corrupt countries, but it is waging a war not only for itself but also for Europe […]

– Juuso Leikola suggested.

Sorry, but Europe has no plan for Ukraine. We're just handing out money with hope, organizing trials in which not a single Russian will be held accountable, and making demands that are unlikely to be met. The war must end someday. And a peace that meets our expectations is unlikely to come. In any case, leaving dialogue with Russia to the Americans is foolish. They're drifting away from Europe, dividing the world into spheres of interest, and trying to wean Russia from China's clutches. Europe itself is a blank in this game.

– Aki Keskinen reasons.

"Finland should finally start negotiations with Russia." But why? The Finns can do without Russia, and the less they are connected to that country, the better. The Finns simply need to stop humiliating themselves, regain their self-respect and strength, and not simply serve as pawns in someone else's hands.

– said a user named Timo Järvi.

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Gosh 65

0

1 May 2026 11: 21

A poor, small country whose only wealth is snow.
1. Vladimir Tuzakov
  
  + 10
  
  1 May 2026 13: 18
  
  Not quite so. The Finns have a lot of their own timber. Previously, they preserved their own, bought it cheaply from Russian "businessmen" (who stole state timber) and exported it. But they won't get very far on timber, paperwork, and the scarce natural environment, where much must be purchased. They also have shipbuilding, developed thanks to orders from the USSR. But they won't survive long, given competition from other countries with their own seven-month winter. The rest is being produced piecemeal, leaving them to fumble with their mounting problems when a major crisis strikes. Conclusion: Our timber is worthless, and good riddance to the Finns as they head toward impoverishment.
  1. gxmlygw
    
    0
    
    2 May 2026 18: 30
    
    Things aren't so clear-cut. In February 2026, Finland recorded a significant capital outflow of €2 billion. The public debt-to-GDP ratio is approaching 100%, and the authorities are assessing the situation as critical. The unemployment rate rose to 11,1% in February 2026, above historical averages. The situation is particularly acute in the east of the country due to border closures. Meanwhile, the Finnish economy is expected to see subdued growth in 2026 (around 0,6–0,9%). Against a backdrop of a complex geopolitical situation, high inflation, and energy risks, the Finnish government has reached an agreement on a budget plan for 2026–2029. Important changes include lower income and corporate taxes for the population and many other incentives: https://www.rulehti.fi/?p=16431 Our Russian government, with its ever-rising taxes and prices, could learn from this approach.
    1. Vladimir Tuzakov
      
      +2
      
      2 May 2026 20: 19
      
      If taxes have been cut, it means the budget has shrunk, and how will it cover healthcare, education, social benefits, and so on? You certainly don't see any problems with the government's populist actions in tax cuts and other "incentives." The desire to stimulate through concessions will likely end in even more serious problems. Conclusion: if the cart is rolling downhill, the driver's petty efforts to stop it won't change the outcome.
      1. gxmlygw
        
        0
        
        3 May 2026 08: 39
        
        Is our cart going uphill? It might be missing a couple of wheels, but it's still something. So, based on our progress, suggest the "stupid" Finns take a different approach: revive corruption, start a war (choose one) with Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania to boost industrial development and distract the population from negative thoughts about a possible change of government. To curb inflation, suggest they raise the key bank rate (there will be fewer bad loans). To replenish the budget, increase taxes, fees, fines, utility rates, etc. That would be an excellent solution!
        
        Vladimir Tuzakov
        
        0
        
        3 May 2026 10: 16
        
        Talking about Figland, about the Russian Federation, is a completely different story.
        
        gxmlygw
        
        +1
        
        3 May 2026 11: 06
        
        Our song is old and new, we start it again...
        
        Vladimir1155
        
        -1
        
        28 May 2026 14: 55
        
        You have the most rosy mythical notions, a pink pony with wet dreams about a "prosperous" Finland, taxes, fees, fines and regulatory restrictions there are higher even than in "corrupt" Russia, our liberals have not yet managed to destroy all the achievements of "totalitarian Stalinism" like their own housing without a mortgage, or the opportunity to have a job, and no one will sell you buns for 18 rubles there, universal denunciation, hatred of neighbors ... morals are bad there, .... notice that you did not even pay attention to the fact that 11 percent of Finns became unemployed, every tenth Finn of working age, and you have no idea (never personally experienced in the Russian Federation and the USSR) what it is like to be unemployed without hope of finding a job, add a disgusting climate, worse even than in St. Petersburg, cold, a dying population, suicide due to the gray sky and small boring towns, the fall Morals and a tendency toward alcoholism, ... and now there will be no gasoline or exports, because without resources there's nothing to export, and where will the food come from? Mannerheim annually solved the problem of food imports; Finland is a northern country, almost nothing grows there. ... yet at the same time, the stupid crowd enthusiastically discusses the advantages of breaking with Russia....
        
        gxmlygw
        
        0
        
        28 May 2026 18: 30
        
        Mr. Analyst, how many years of education do you have? Before you teach others, try to learn the basic rules of Russian grammar first. For example: what letters begin and end sentences and how to address another person; how to write country names; what are the purposes of commas and periods, and where to place them, and where not... And yes, your post is full of logical errors. These errors are related to the violation of logical correctness of speech, arising from the violation of the laws of logic and leading to a misunderstanding of the meaning of the statement.
        
        Vladimir1155
        
        -2
        
        28 May 2026 19: 26
        
        What a long speech you wrote, and it made no sense, I couldn't even find any information in it. Essentially, it was just empty talk. What logic did you (or didn't) find? And what logic did you offer? Zero! It seems literate, but it's empty. Picking on grammar is the tactic of those who are incapable of picking on anything else. Your place isn't among the experts, but in elementary school. You'd be more useful there than you are here, you miserable expert! And you even brought in logic! Do you even know the meaning of this word? Explain with examples.
        
        gxmlygw
        
        -1
        
        29 May 2026 16: 23
        
        Please don't be offended. I understand it's too late for you to start elementary school and learn grammar rules with other children. But you can still fix everything by learning to use the internet effectively. Then you would know that logically correct speech is the ability to express thoughts consistently, coherently, and with arguments. It is built on four basic laws of logic: certainty, non-contradiction, excluded middle, and sufficient reason. Such speech is free of semantic holes, doesn't confuse others, and is easy to understand. And brush up on your grammar; you can't mock the great Russian language like that.
        
        Vladimir1155
        
        0
        
        29 May 2026 18: 01
        
        Quote: gxmlygw
        4 basic laws of logic: certainty, consistency, excluded middle, and sufficient reason.
        
        It is you who have violated all these laws. You are the one who ignores the essence of the matter behind the semantics of the phrase, .... you distort and write lies, but they can be verified.
        1 And you write that "a cart without two wheels goes uphill." Excellent! All four laws of logic are violated by you.
        Then you suggest the Finns raise taxes, the key interest rate, and start a war? Where's the logic here? You've recklessly trampled it... and yet you hypocritically cite logical laws. Learn to read not only letters but also meanings.
        
        As for my post to you... it contains the purest truth, because I have been to Finland and lived there and know everything better than you... I have sufficient grounds for this, because I have seen and talked with the Finns myself, I know everything I write definitely and precisely, and it does not contradict logic, truth, common sense and facts at all, that is, I am right and you are totally wrong and, as logic says, there is no third option,
        
        gxmlygw
        
        -1
        
        30 May 2026 11: 53
        
        You write that "a cart without two wheels goes uphill."
        
        Did I write that? Dear Sir, you clearly have a diseased imagination. I see no point in communicating with you until you learn the rules of Russian grammar and capitalize the word "You" when addressing your opponent.
        
        traveler
        
        +1
        
        5 June 2026 18: 30
        
        Are your literacy skills much better?)) The word "push" is spelled with an O, and those same Finns would be offended if they found out that you left out the letter N.
  2. svoroponov
    
    +2
    
    21 May 2026 17: 58
    
    The Finns have little, if any, high-quality timber. They bought it from us, and while Finland produced 13 percent of all timber, this generated up to 25 percent of export revenue from the sale of our forest products. So the impact was quite significant.
    As for the border closure, the article is editorial choice. In Finland, only some groups are in favor of a complete border closure, while others are against it, even in the leadership. But they mostly publish the wishes of the former group for obvious reasons. So, their economy is in complete disarray right now. They even asked for financial aid from the European Union—that's something that's been happening for ages. Proud Finns have reached out their hands, asking for help, for Christ's sake, they don't have enough to live on.
  3. Vladimir1155
    
    -1
    
    25 May 2026 09: 55
    
    True! But I'll add, as an expert, there haven't been any forests in Finland for a long time now. Forests take 50-80 years to grow, and they only exist in Russia. I've never seen a forest in Finland. They're just undersized timber (growing for 10-15 years), not forests. And yet, they harvest this undersized timber regularly, not letting it turn into logs (how do you grow potatoes? Plant them yesterday, dig them up today, and why? I'm really hungry). Which means there will never be any forests there. Otherwise, the statements of these stupid Finns only show their stupidity. Narmer alone estimated the lost trade with Russia at only a third (then, to make it seem more important, he immediately increased it to 15%).... well, of course! How stupid do you have to be to think that losing a third of your income is a small thing? Everyone else is just stupid, simple Finns, cooks who follow the newspapers and the media, arrogance and stupidity, that's all they read, and they talk like parrots, a typical dumb crowd heading for destruction. Well, the loss of the Finnish market is definitely a much bigger deal for us than for the Finns themselves. I was amused by the statement that "we'll get nothing from Russia except substation oil" - that's all!... Well, of course, their own arrogance will allow them to switch to horsepower, but that arrogance will be preserved...
2. ZovSailor
  
  +5
  
  1 May 2026 15: 12
  
  The territories of the Dates and Tribolts were bought by Peter I under the Treaty of Nystad for 2 lemons of efimok = 47 tons of silver.
  Denounce the treaty as the legal successor to the USSR, and let all the tribolts and dates leave Russian lands on a distant erotic journey.
  1. Vladimir Tuzakov
    
    0
    
    2 May 2026 20: 21
    
    This could be announced before the invasion of Finland. Otherwise, it's called "the stuff of bygone days" and is as relevant as last year's snow.
prior

+6

1 May 2026 14: 16

The Finns signed their own death warrant and voted for it without coercion with both hands.
People of Finland! This is your own choice.
If you, without any reason, have labeled the Russians, who gave you statehood, as enemies, then why should these Russians feel sorry for you?!
1. art573
  
  +1
  
  18 May 2026 16: 30
  
  Golden words. But I don't think Russia specifically needs anything from Finland; we have everything we need. Let them spend the winter there themselves... There's nothing to negotiate with them, but we do need to negotiate with Norway. We have a lot in common with Norway in the north.
GR777

0

1 May 2026 14: 23

Drunkards croak proudly, considering themselves eagles, but in reality they are crow shit.
Dust

+1

1 May 2026 18: 08

So much pathos and arrogance... They are on the outskirts of Europe and think they are the "center of the universe."
Ugr

+3

2 May 2026 05: 40

How long ago did they kiss the Swedes' asses, and even us Russians, if it weren't for Grandpa Lenin, who handed out imperial lands and gifted these limitrophes with statehood, they would now be sitting quietly and not raising their voices. But instead, they made states for everyone, and became enemies themselves. We freed everyone: the Armenians from the Turks, the Azeris and Georgians from the Persians, the Tribals and Finns from the Swedes and Germans, the Bulgarians, Greeks, and Ukrainians. And in response, there's anger that they were given lands and freedom, for our own spilled blood. We should follow the example of the Americans, where they immediately set up a base and the country was occupied. If it weren't for the guy with a stain on his head, our bases would be in Europe and no one would dare utter a word.
1. svoroponov
  
  0
  
  21 May 2026 20: 54
  
  Just read about Finland before Lenin. It was in a special position, practically a small state or even a republic. Only the governor was appointed by us, and everything else was up to the Finns themselves.
  
  By the way, the well-known Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was a former officer in the Russian army. Although he rose to the rank of general, he later disliked Russia after the revolution.
Atlanta

+2

3 May 2026 07: 59

The ravings of a madman. They drove themselves into this trap, and now they've found someone to blame for all their sins.
Kuramori Reika

+4

3 May 2026 09: 59

Finland has little chance of preserving what they have. The world has long since been producing what Finland used to, or some goods have simply become unnecessary. It's good they're not opening the border. It would be more useful to have a bankrupt Finland on the border.
1. Imhotep
  
  -2
  
  8 May 2026 02: 44
  
  Well, it won't be worse than yours.
  Look what I'm reading:
  
  Academics predict 35 years of poverty: What awaits Russia?
  https://k-politika.ru/akademiki-sprognozirovali-35-let-nishhety-chto-zhdyot-rossiyu/
  
  This means that poverty, destitution and hunger await you.
  1. Kuramori Reika
    
    0
    
    8 May 2026 10: 05
    
    That's right, as long as people vote based on animal instincts, there is no future.
  2. svoroponov
    
    +2
    
    21 May 2026 20: 59
    
    I'd like to ask: are these "academics" who mutter about Russia being impoverished in Russia or somewhere else? When I try to see who's writing this and where they're coming from, I stumble across publications that aren't Russian at all, or that have some connection to the Khodorkovsky Foundation and its ilk. Sometimes they spew such verbal diarrhea that you wonder if they live on our planet or if they've arrived from a parallel universe.
    1. Imhotep
      
      -1
      
      22 May 2026 03: 15
      
      Why don't you read this article? You'll learn, for example,
      
      Another forum participant, Denis Krivtsov, CEO of the Tonar machine-building plant, revealed another inconvenient truth. Enterprising people who want to manufacture something are forced to endure the seven circles of hell to get the necessary permits from officials. According to Krivtsov, it's more profitable to be a courier or security guard than to work in factories and plants, knowing what your salary will be. After all, to attract specialists to industry, they need to be paid more than, say, couriers.
      
      I believe this plant is in Russia, or maybe I'm wrong?
      1. svoroponov
        
        +1
        
        22 May 2026 08: 26
        
        The plant may be in Russia, but the question is where the director, or perhaps the former director, is located. And if he raises such questions about salaries and personnel, then this question is for him: why aren't specialists coming to your plant, and why aren't you paying your workers a decent salary? And why aren't you training specialists yourself, instead of waiting for already-qualified ones to come to you?
        And what circles of hell must one go through if the plant exists and has been operating for a long time?
        And regarding their desire to produce something, who's stopping them? Although, we need to look at what they actually want to produce. Some undertakings require special operating permits, and other things.
        So before blaming someone, it's worth considering what we ourselves can do and whether we've done everything we can to ensure our production runs smoothly. And yes, it's more profitable to blame someone else for your own mistakes. Our ineradicable mentality: everyone is to blame but me.
        
        Imhotep
        
        -1
        
        25 May 2026 02: 27
        
        And before you ask him that question, it might be worth paying attention to part of what he says:
        
        Enterprising people who want to produce something are forced to go through seven circles of hell to get officials to issue them the necessary permits.
        
        Or maybe he doesn't know anything about business and was just put there by someone else?
      2. Vladimir1155
        
        -1
        
        25 May 2026 10: 03
        
        Quote: Imhotep
        Enterprising people who want to produce something are forced to go through seven circles of hell to get officials to issue them the necessary permits.
        
        It's true! Unfortunately! It's our internal enemies, namely corrupt bureaucrats, regulators, and officials who permit prohibitions, who are leading us to destruction.