Finland Times

President Sauli Niinistö on Tuesday expressed concerns over the planned sanctions by the European Union against Russia, as it would affect Finland more severely than other EU member states.

Niinistö made the observation during a meeting with the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy.

The meeting discussed the evolved situation in Ukraine and reviewed the international measures to promote a peaceful solution to the crisis.

The Ukraine issue was brought up as the president and the cabinet committee met to discuss the security committee's report on Security in Society 2013.

The president pointed out that EU leaders have warned on the possibility of using wider economic sanctions, if the crisis in Ukraine was to escalate outside the Crimean peninsula.

The EU threatened last week of using tougher actions against Russia including freezing of Russia's assets and implementing travel restrictions unless the situation was resolved through negotiation.

Niinistö said the measures at the moment were concerned with mobility issues such as visa and travelling, and expressed hopes that the measures would stop there.

The committee also looked into helping the progress of reaching a solution to the crisis.

Finland is following the EU's stances on the matter, the latest of which was issued on March 6 following a meeting of the EU heads of states, where Finland condemned the threats and

enforcement of force.

In the Security in Society 2013 report, the security committee's assessment focused on the realisation of the strategic tasks assigned to administrative branches under the Security Strategy for

Society 2010.

According to the report, positive results have been achieved in preparedness, with the government preparedness exercise VALHA13 serving to develop preparedness and readiness

comprehensively, especially regarding cyber security.

The guidelines of the Cyber Security Strategy were turned into an action plan which would enable building up the reliability of the cyber domain, the report said, adding that in 2013,

preparedness was developed in all administrative branches to enhance security in society.

On March 6, Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen said Finland did not support imposing broader economic sanction against Russia at this moment.
 
Talking to journalists before the summit of the European Council in Brussels, the premier said economic sanctions should be considered carefully because it might put a negative impact on

the world economy.
 
Katainen said Russia was an important trading partner to the EU and its economy was reflected directly on Europe.
 
The prime minister emphasised that the Ukrainian crisis be eventually resolved through negotiations.

He also pointed out that tougher action could be considered later, if the situation deteriorated further, although he did not expect such unwanted situation.