Good that you are so close friends. Finland was also a friend of Russia until recently. Currently a lot of eyes in Finland has opened, because of Russia´s imperialistic policies in Ukraine. They have violated every European security agreements they have signed. Russia destabilizing neighboring country and using openly military force is something unseen in Europe for decades ( not since USSR was using same methods in East Europe. ). I am afraid that this will be a long period of worsening relations between Russia and EU.
If we look at issues dispassionately, and if possible from the point of view of the Nation acting in a certain way, we will possibly understand as to why they acted that way.
Finland, is wary of Russia ever since Russia annexed Crimea. It is natural given the past Russo - Finnish history.
But is there any guarantee that Russia will do a 'Crimea' on Finland? The answer is not likely.
But does that mean that Finland will no longer be wary and apprehensive?
No, they have good reasons to be apprehensive.
There are about 30,000 people have citizenship of the Russian Federation, and Russian is the mother language of about 70,000 people in Finland. The ECRI recommended that action be taken to combat negative societal attitudes and manifestations of intolerance towards the members of Russian-speaking communities.
When considering the integration of Russian immigrants to Finland from the viewpoint of employment, it can be noticed that the Russian immigrants have not been very successful in finding their place in the job market. The educational level of Russian immigrants in Finland is fairly high: almost 40% of them have graduated from the university or polytechnic, whereas the corresponding number of the whole Finnish population is 30%. Despite this fact unemployment among people with Russian backgrounds is notably higher than that of Finnish citizens. The Russians and Estonians have been more successful than refugees in finding employment in Finland, but the unemployment rate of Russian citizens is twice that of Estonians.
Therefore, there is adequate reasons for these Russian speaking citizens to be neutral or even hostile to Finland in any confrontation with Russia, and many of them are living in South-East Finland, close to the Russian border. Not a happy or a comfortable thought for Finland, if you ask me.
Then Russian aggressiveness rekindles the thought in the Finnish mind of the Winter War. It was as you will recall a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland in 1939–1940. It began with the Soviet invasion of Finland in 1939 because Finland refused to bow down to the Soviet Union claiming parts of Finnish territory, demanding—amongst other concessions—that Finland cede substantial border territories in exchange for land elsewhere, claiming security reasons, primarily the protection of Leningrad, which was only 30 km (19 mi) from the Finnish border.
Churn all what I have stated and you will find that Finland has good reasons to distrust and be wary of Russia and its intentions.
But does that yet unproven rationale for Finland's wariness make Finland's apprehensions and anticipatory actions wrong, immoral or preemptively provocative?
I don't think so.
Now, apply the Russian apprehensions to the NATO expansion to the East.
The Soviet Union was a superpower. With the dissolution of the USSR, Russia is a pale shadow of the Cold War days. The once mighty USSR is not struggling to keep its country afloat and military is down to its knees, with it global clout reduced to a zero. A mighty blow to the Russian pride, enough to make it fear that its existence is at stake. Therefore, their aggressiveness to assert is understandable, even if not palatable to many.
With each push East by the NATO, the Russians fear that the 'barbarians are at the gates' even closer.
The comfort and safety of a 'strategic depth' that it had earlier as the Soviet Union given by The Warsaw Pact or the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation, and Mutual Assistance, a collective defence treaty among eight communist states of Central and Eastern Europe in existence during the Cold War, vanishing before their eyes has given the fear of God in the Russian hearts.
They now struggle to ensure the few of the erstwhile Soviet territories now independent and neutral does not fall under the wizardry of the NATO Eastward push brining the 'enemy' closer to the Russian gates.
Therefore, their action is justifiable through the Russia prism as is the actions of Finland through the Finnish prism.
But are the actions of the NATO, US, Russia or even Finland moral is a moot question, even if each is acting for its own survival and security.
The jury is still out.
