Table of Contents
The News
Neutrality of Finland
- Finland followed a policy of strict neutrality between Moscow and the West during the decades of the Cold War.
- The principle of neutrality was rooted in the Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance that Finland signed with the USSR in April 1948.
Soviet-Finnish Treaty
- The Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance of 1948, also known as the YYA Treaty was the basis for Finno–Soviet relations from 1948 to 1992. It was the main instrument in implementing the Finnish policy called Paasikivi–Kekkonen doctrine.
- Under the treaty, which was signed on 6 April 1948, the Soviets sought to deter Western or Allied Powers from attacking the Soviet Union through Finnish territory, and the Finns sought to increase Finland’s political independence from the Soviet Union.
- It thus ensured Finland’s survival as a liberal democracy in close proximity to strategic Soviet regions.
Soviet-Finnish Treaty
- Why Finland agreed?
- It was the beginning of Coldwar & the world had seen a devastating WWII.
- From the perspective of Finland its capital Helsinki which is situated just across the Gulf of Finland from St Petersburg (Leningrad – Earlier Capital of UUSR), the treaty protected it from being attacked or incorporated into the USSR like the Baltic and eastern European states.
Soviet-Finnish Treaty
- Why Finland agreed?
- The treaty allowed the Finland to pursue the path of democracy and capitalism while staying out of the conflict between the great powers.
- Finland did not participate in the Marshall Plan, the post-War European recovery programme which promoted the idea of shared interests and cooperation between the US and Europe. Finland took neutral positions on matters on which the Soviet Union and the West disagreed. It stayed aloof from NATO or Warsaw pact.
What has changed now?
- Finland formally announced that it intends to apply for membership into the Western NATO military alliance, ignoring Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warning that the move would “negatively affect” peaceful relations between the neighboring countries.
- President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced the NATO membership bid at the presidential palace in Helsinki.
- President Sauli Niinisto said, “This is a historic day, A new era begins.”
- Finland’s announcement that it is seeking entry into the 30-member U.S.-dominated military alliance formed in the aftermath of World War II had been expected in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine February 24 and continuing offensive.
What has changed now?
Provision for Civil Defence
Underground Helsinki
- It seems that Finland is taking no chances. After bidding for NATO membership in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war, the European city is leaving no stone unturned, quite literally, to secure itself—even going to the extent of preparing itself for an unlikely but potential nuclear apocalypse.
- According to reports, the authorities in Finland have constructed an entire city underneath the capital Helsinki which has a playground, hockey rink, and swimming pool.
- The underground city has over 500 underground shelters capable to house 900,000 people.
- Underground Helsinki
- Finnish Officials:
- “As a neutral country, we have always felt we need to protect ourselves – and we do. The underground shelters built in the bedrock of Finland come from our experience in the Winter War and during the Second World War.”
- The underground shelter was first built during the 1960s, after which the successive governments excavated more than 9 million cubic metres of bedrock below Finland to house more people.
- The shelters’ entry doors carefully located above ground are so thick a nuclear blast wouldn’t leave a dent.
Underground Helsinki
Russian Reaction
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