According to recent interviews, all presidential candidates agreed that, if necessary, Finland should be able to close the eastern border completely.
Stubb also predicts the border will close entirely in the next few weeks. However, asylum seekers who arrive at the border should be given the opportunity to receive asylum. The complete closure of the wall would be against the mentioned legal arrangements. Is Stubb’s statement a foretaste of what is to come when Finland begins isolating itself from influences from the East, be they border violations or diplomatic relations? In addition, the responsibility for the border dispute is placed solely on Russia’s neck, even though Finland, together with its ally, the United States, has been moving from one provocation to another for a long time. So, it’s no wonder Russia has finally started to show its opinion.

Li Andersson. Photo by Laura Kotila.
The only moderate presidential candidate is Li Andersson, who also considers the law and international agreements. Even in times of crisis, Finland must be able to comply with international human rights agreements.
It’s starting to sound like male machoness is taking over the ability to reason. Terms such as iron on the border, border closed, and tough against tough are caveman slurs not needed in modern diplomacy. We will see more diplomatic disputes and notes if Finland continues its current path.
Stubb reminds the voters that they should keep a cool head, even though he is the one who threatens to close the border and “hard against hard,” whatever the latter meant—exemplary contradiction from a man whose goal is to lead the state.
The Finnish government, especially the presidential candidates, should cool down and take a more diplomatic stance in foreign and domestic policy. Finland’s close friend, the United States, has plenty of experience with how a lack of diplomacy leads to war and international conflicts. So it is time for Finland to protect itself from pressure from foreign powers and, above all, to focus on what is best for Finland, not on what is in line with the US and its foreign policy.