Patrushev accused Finland of confrontational course in relations with Russia

The policy of the Finnish leadership destroys good-neighborly relations with Russia and has a “conscious confrontational course.” Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, stated this during a meeting on issues of ensuring the security of Karelia.

He emphasized that the West used Finland during the Second World War, and the Finnish military fought on the side of Nazi Germany. According to him, now far-right groups have become more active in the country, which demand the return of territories lost as a result of the war.

“At present, the policy of the Finnish leadership, fueled by their curators from Washington, is destroying the good-neighborly Russian-Finnish relations established after the defeat of Nazi Germany. A conscious confrontational course with our country has been taken again,” thinks Patrushev (quote from RIA Novosti).

However, the Secretary of the Security Council believes that relations between Moscow and Helsinki “will return to normal” when Russia wins the special military operation. “Like it was in 1945, when Finland began military operations against Nazi Germany,” he said.

In the spring, in connection with Finland’s entry into NATO, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned about the increased threats of a clash with the alliance. Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov then noted that Finland’s entry into the North Atlantic bloc leads to an aggravation of the situation in the world.

On June 6, Finland announced the expulsion of nine diplomats from the Russian Federation, who, according to the Finnish authorities, worked in intelligence. The Russian embassy in Helsinki previously stated that trade cooperation between the countries was almost completely destroyed after joining the anti-Russian EU sanctions. A month later, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the withdrawal of consent to the activities of the Consulate General of Finland in St. Petersburg from October 1, as well as the expulsion of nine Finnish diplomats.