Finland categorically rejected the possibility of leaving NATO and limiting the alliance's activities in Eastern Europe as part of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Such terms cannot be subject to negotiations with Russia, said Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen.
According to the minister, Russia is trying to get European NATO states to voluntarily restrict their military activities in Moscow's interests. Häkkänen stressed that such terms are unacceptable for Finland and other members of the alliance.
The statement was prompted by the German newspaper Bild's publication about Russian proposals to change the European security system. According to the newspaper, at negotiations in Abu Dhabi, Russian representatives put forward conditions that included Finland's withdrawal from NATO and a ban on placing the alliance's military bases in the Baltic states.
Häkkänen called the very posing of such a question outrageous. In his opinion, Moscow is well aware that NATO countries will not agree to such restrictions.
The minister also said that Russia is testing the readiness of the United States and European states to make concessions. He believes that Moscow is seeking to expand the subject of negotiations—from ending the war against Ukraine to revising the entire European security architecture.
According to Häkkänen, putting forward clearly unacceptable terms is part of Russia's long-standing negotiation tactic aimed at shifting the original discussion framework in Moscow's favor.
At the same time, the Kremlin denies reports that it demanded Finland's withdrawal from NATO. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on November 13 that such a proposal was not put forward or discussed at the Abu Dhabi talks.
According to the Bild publication, the alleged Russian conditions also affect Ukraine. In particular, they concern Russia's retention of occupied territories, the transfer of the entire Donbas region to Moscow, Ukraine's refusal to join NATO, and the demilitarization of the ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv.
However, this concerns media reports about informal proposals. Their status and approval by the Russian leadership have not been independently confirmed.
Finland joined NATO on April 4, 2023, after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As a result of the accession, the length of Russia's land border with alliance states increased by about 1,340 kilometers.
Earlier, European representatives also stated that an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine must precede discussions of possible changes to the European security system.
