September 17, 2023

Russian Cars Can't Finnish


Russian Cars Can't Finnish
Finnish and Russian border posts. Wikimedia Commons, Repovesi

Finland has announced that it will no longer accept the entry of cars with Russian license plates.

As of September 16, autos bearing Russian plates will be forbidden to pass through border checkpoints. Exceptions will be made for diplomats and EU citizens living in Russia.

In addition, Russian-licensed cars currently in Finland must leave the country by March 16, 2024.

Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen announced the change the day before it took effect. She noted that Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, which border Russia further to the south, had already enacted similar restrictions.

The move comes as Russia faces growing isolation in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. Notably, although Finland has traditionally held a neutral attitude in spats between Russia and the West, the Scandinavian country joined NATO in April 2023.

 

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