Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo confirmed on Thursday that Finnish troops would not engage in combat roles during any post-war peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. Speaking from Rome, where he attended the Ukraine Recovery Conference, Orpo underlined Finland’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, while clarifying the limits of Helsinki’s military involvement.
Finland’s contribution focused on training and expertise
Orpo stated that Finland would primarily assist Ukraine through training programmes and by sharing military expertise once the war ends. “We’ll go into more detail when peacekeeping efforts are pertinent,” Orpo told the Finnish news agency STT by phone. He added that larger countries like France and the United Kingdom are expected to take the lead in future peacekeeping operations.
Border realities shape Finland’s role
One of the key reasons behind Finland’s limited engagement is its 1,340-kilometre border with Russia, which is also an external frontier of both the EU and NATO. Orpo noted that countries bordering Russia would play a “smaller role” in peacekeeping to avoid further tensions. Finland has recently reinforced sections of this border with new fencing structures.
Defence industry cooperation with Ukraine
While declining to comment on reports that Finland may start domestic production of anti-personnel landmines, Orpo highlighted the broader growth of Finland’s defence industry. “Our defence sector has very large potential, it’s growing rapidly, and cooperation with Ukraine is significant in this regard,” he said.
Shifts in US stance towards Russia
Orpo also welcomed what he described as a clearer position by the United States on Ukraine. “There has been some ambiguity about what the US and President Donald Trump‘s attitude towards Russia is. The message from the United States now seems to be that they are strongly involved in defending Ukraine,” he said. According to Orpo, Trump has grown “disappointed with Putin, who does not want peace.”
Massive reconstruction funds pledged
At the Rome conference, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU had already raised €2.3 billion for Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, with plans to increase this to €10 billion. These funds will be used to rebuild homes, hospitals, businesses and energy infrastructure. Orpo noted that hundreds of companies, including about a dozen Finnish operators, participated in the conference, signalling robust international interest in Ukraine’s recovery.
