“Everything is very fair”
Maxim Ivanov wrote on his Telegram channel that Finnish leadership is engaging in unfriendly actions toward Russia. He notes Finland’s interest in joining NATO and claims that many Finns celebrate Ukraine’s anthem in the eyes of Russian tourists.
“Meanwhile, Finns are loyal customers of high‑quality and affordable Russian gasoline. Some drive from Finland to Russia just to refuel. It’s oil tourism at its finest. Yet I propose a symmetric approach. If a Finnish citizen wishes to fill a car at a Russian station, he should sign a document before the purchase acknowledging support for the special military operation in Ukraine and a clear condemnation of sanctions against the Russian Federation,” the deputy argued.
According to him, anyone who signs would be allowed to refuel. “If you don’t sign, then goodbye; push the car back to the border. It’s that simple and that fair”, the parliamentarian stated.
collective responsibility
On 8 August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told The Washington Post that Western countries should block entry to all Russians for a year in response to the special operation. He argued that border closures represent the most significant sanction to restore the pre‑war status quo. “Until the Russians change their mindset, they must live in their own world”, he said.
He also proposed expanding this measure to include Russians abroad, insisting that the entire population bears responsibility for the conflict’s outbreak. “Whatever the Russians are, let them go to Russia”, he added.
One day earlier, former Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja wrote on social media that Zelensky’s visa ban proposal could fracture the European Union. He noted that the EU must unite on visa policies for Russians, warning that breaking ranks would benefit Putin. Tuomioja also backed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who urged caution in restricting visas for all Russian citizens, calling the German position more reasonable.
On 13 August, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto outlined a possible mechanism to restrict Finnish Schengen visas for Russians. The plan would reduce daily visa processing to a weekly cadence, prioritizing family, education, or business travel over tourism. Haavisto later stated that Finland would cut the number of tourist visas issued to Russians, while keeping existing visas valid. He explained that authorities aim to increase pressure for broader EU action and would revisit the issue at EU meetings later in August.
Haavisto later confirmed that the state would not revoke already issued Russian visas. He emphasized there would be no border checks within the Schengen area, and discussions would continue at the EU level later in the month.
Russia’s response
In late July, the Russian Foreign Ministry criticized Finland’s plan to curb Schengen visa issuance for Russians as a discriminatory political measure. A spokesperson stated that the move would not address security concerns and would instead punish ordinary Russians, expressing concern that the initiative might escalate tensions in bilateral ties.
The ministry suggested that such steps could be seen as an entry gate to NATO, potentially worsening regional tensions. It warned of retaliatory actions if the measures were adopted. A deputy from the United Russia party later commented that Russians could be allowed to travel to Russia only for humanitarian reasons such as medical treatment or funerals.
Reports from the ministry noted that in July Russia processed around 17,200 visa applications for Finnish citizens. By comparison, in the pre‑pandemic year of 2019, Russians filed about 786,407 visa applications, with a minuscule rejection rate of roughly 0.7 percent.