MILAN — As Finns prepare to go to the polls, more than a dozen Finnish companies have reportedly circumvented sanctions by exporting dual-use products to Russia, and experts say the challenge is a challenge for the next leadership. It is said that this will be an important issue to be addressed.
Finland’s next presidential election will be held on January 28th, and will bring to an end the 12-year term of President Sauli Niinisto.
Nicknamed “Putin’s Whisperer” by the media for his constant contact with the Kremlin even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Niinistö was responsible for leading Finland to formal NATO membership in April 2023. played an important role in the process.
Experts say the candidates appear to be more united than in previous elections on key issues such as maintaining aid to Ukraine.
“Finland shares the longest border with Russia among NATO members, so there was a need for at least a level-headed relationship.” [amongst candidates] “We remain somewhat resolute about Finland’s position as an EU and NATO member,” said Robert Eklund, chairman of the board of the Elizabeth Lane Bank of Ideas, a Finnish security policy think tank. Stated.
“All the candidates running have been unwavering in their support for Ukraine. That’s one of the key things they have in common: a determination to support Ukraine for as long as it takes,” he said. added.
Alexander Stubb, a former Finnish prime minister and a front-runner in the next election, pledged unconditional support to Kiev in an interview with Reuters earlier this month and called on the Russian government to stop the attack.
Most candidates have publicly stated that they have no intention of engaging with Russia until the Russian leader ends the all-out war it is waging against Kiev. The Finnish presidential election will take on added significance as it will be held ahead of the Russian presidential election scheduled for mid-March.
Two weeks before the election, public broadcaster Ale reported that more than 20 Finnish companies with Russian backgrounds had been found to be exporting various military supplies to Moscow.
According to customs data obtained by EEL, one of the companies involved, operating in southeastern Finland, may have sent sensors, diesel engines, fuel pumps and transmission equipment to Russia.
Analysts say the incident is relatively unsurprising, as similar incidents have been reported in the past, but the number of companies involved is unusual.
“It is not surprising that some companies ship these types of products to Russia. For example, in September, the CEOs of two Finnish companies, Siberica and Luminor, were detained on suspicion of violating Russian sanctions. “There was also news that there was a crisis,” said Kari Paasonen, a fellow at Saferglobe, a Finnish peace and security think tank.
“However, the number of companies revealed in this report is very large. According to the report, there have also been cases of illegal transportation of arms through Finland over the years,” Paasonen added.
The high-profile case, in which two listed companies are believed to have exported around 3,500 drones and other electronic components to Russia, is currently being investigated by Finnish customs authorities.
Helping companies evade Russian sanctions is a thorny problem plaguing other European countries as well, and is proving increasingly difficult to manage.
“In many cases, these goods are not sold directly from the manufacturer to the user, but instead are traded through local dealer networks, making it difficult for Western companies wishing to comply with sanctions regimes to control where their products end up. ”’ said Robin Heggblom, an independent Finnish defense analyst.
Experts say the Ale report highlights important issues, but the consensus on Russia’s compliance with the embargo is widely shared and the report is unlikely to have a direct impact on the election. said.
“It is unlikely that there will be any fallout. Having said that, in my view preventing sanctions evasion will be a top priority. [upcoming] Finnish foreign policy,” said Matti Pes, a senior researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.