Vladimir Putin arrives in Finland for working visit today
Russian experts say Finland's role as mediator in Russia's relations
with EU to be underscored
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Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Finland on Monday for a working visit.
Putin's goal will be to make sure that Finland will remain among the group of countries in the European Union with friendly relations with Russia, say a group of Russian experts.
Putin has dealt with its relations with the European Union largely through Germany, France, and Italy. Finland's importance as Russia's "gate to the EU" has not been implemented to the extent that Finland would have liked, because Russia has focused its attention on the larger European countries.
However, the situation is changing. Countries which joined the EU last year are more critical toward Russia than the old member states. Furthermore, a Germany led by Christian Democratic leader Angela Merkel would not necessarily be as close a partner with Russia as the administration of Gerhard Schröder.
Another friend of Putin, French President Jaques Chirac, has seen his political position wane.
"During the past year, the atmosphere in the EU has turned considerably cooler toward Russia. Finland's possibility to act as a bridge-builder is again topical", says Professor Sergei Medvedyev, a Moscow-based expert on EU affairs.
"Russia's tactical position in relations with the EU is getting worse. For this reason it needs to maintain friendly relations with Finland. The more friends, the better", says Arkadi Moshes, a Russian researcher at the Finnish Institute for International Affairs.
Moshes says that it is important for Russia to influence relations with Finland now, because the focal points of the Finnish turn at the EU Presidency will be defined in the next six months.
Both Moshes and Medvedyev believe that Russia will again take up the issue of visa-free travel, which it would like to see resolved next year.
There are also plenty of bilateral issues to discuss during the visit. Professor Medvedyev believes that Finland will try to get Putin to promote its economic interests in Russia.
In the run-up to the previous meeting between the Russian and Finnish presidents in December last year, Russia's EU envoy Sergei Yastrzembski said - to the astonishment of many - that Finland is part of the group of countries in the EU with a hostile attitude toward Russia.
Sharp comments have been forthcoming this time as well. A couple of weeks ago Putin suggested that Finland has been giving financial aid to environmental organisations in order to prevent Russia from building oil harbours in the Gulf of Finland.
Radio Svoboda has reported that Vladislav Surkov, the deputy head of the President's administration, said at an event arranged for the Russian business community that Finland gives support for Finno-Ugric peoples in Russia because the areas where they live have strategic oil reserves.
Moshes downplays the significance of such comments.
"Putin's statement on the harbours was purely for domestic consumption. Surkov's message is interesting, as it reveals that such analysis has been made. However, it is not an official stand."
President Putin arrives in Turku on Monday for discussions with President Tarja Halonen. He returns home on Tuesday evening.
The two leaders have scheduled a press conference for Tuesday morning.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 1.8.2005 - TODAY |
 Vladimir Putin arrives in Finland for working visit today
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