Austrian President Van der Bellen Visits Finland Amidst Evolving Security Dynamics

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen is currently visiting Helsinki to meet with his Finnish counterpart, Alexander Stubb. Historically, Austria and Finland shared a bond through their commitment to neutrality and non-alignment. However, the landscape has shifted dramatically since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as Finland has since become a NATO member, joining Sweden, which also entered the alliance shortly after Austria's EU accession in 1995.

Given its extensive 1,340-kilometer border with Russia, Finland closely monitors developments related to the Ukraine conflict. Since the onset of the Russian aggression, Finland has emerged as one of the European Union's staunchest supporters of Ukraine, even as its previously cordial relations with Russia have soured. A notable recent incident highlighting this deterioration was the sentencing of a 38-year-old Russian by a Finnish court for war crimes committed in Ukraine. The individual, Wojslaw Torden, was found guilty of being responsible for the deaths of 22 Ukrainian soldiers during an attack by the extremist group Rusitsch in September 2014.

The verdict, which is currently under appeal by both Torden and the prosecution, drew a sharp rebuke from the Russian embassy in Helsinki, accusing the Finnish judiciary of conducting a politically motivated "show trial" amidst what it described as a hybrid war orchestrated by the West against Russia.

Concerns are rising within Finnish media that Torden could be leveraged as a pawn in potential Russian hostage diplomacy. In response to these developments, the Finnish Foreign Ministry has adopted a calm stance, dismissing the Russian accusations as part of a broader campaign of malicious disinformation aimed at Western nations.

Amidst these tensions, Finnish authorities are reportedly contemplating exiting the Ottawa Convention, which bans landmines. Finland, one of the last European countries to join the agreement in 2012, is now weighing its options similarly to Poland and the Baltic states, as they navigate their security needs in light of the changing geopolitical environment. Russia, along with the United States and China, has never signed the Ottawa treaty.

Since Finland's accession to NATO, it has progressively tightened border controls with Russia. There have been multiple incidents involving ships suspected of belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet" damaging critical transport and communication infrastructure in the Gulf of Finland. While concrete evidence linking Moscow to these sabotage efforts remains elusive, the Finnish public recalls a statement made by President Vladimir Putin in 2016, warning that, should Finland join NATO, it would be perceived as a threat.

Domestically, security concerns have not significantly influenced Finnish political discourse. Even parties that previously opposed NATO membership, particularly from the left, now align with the government's firm security stance. The current conservative government under Prime Minister Petteri Orpo succeeded a coalition led by Social Democrat Sanna Marin, who was instrumental in advocating for both NATO membership and strong support for Ukraine.

As Finland grapples with both external threats and internal challenges, the upcoming regional and municipal elections on April 13 reflect a focus on everyday issues. Voters will address topics such as potential cuts in social and healthcare funding, urban planning priorities, and the integration of immigrants into communities.

During his visit to Finland, President Van der Bellen will engage with various security institutions, including the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats and the Finnish Coast Guard. He emphasized the importance of securing peace through European solidarity, with discussions expected to center on the realignment of transatlantic relations and the implications of Russia's unlawful aggression against Ukraine.