Thread by @minna_alander

I really recommend everyone further west in Europe to read this if you want to understand why Finland has been preparing for the worst (war) while hoping for the best (peaceful cooperation) vis-à-vis Russia.

And why Finns feel a strong “connection of destiny” with Ukrainians

https://twitter.com/mikareport/status/1654375220277329920

Just yesterday I talked with a fellow Finn about how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year ripped open the trauma of our wars that are only 2 generations away. Finns REALLY just wanted to be over it and life to continue. But Russia didn’t let us.

We fought Russian imperialism 80 years ago and all of this is still extremely triggering. Imagine then how it is for our Baltic neighbours for whom it’s only been 30 years. And what really kills me is to know exactly what this is doing to Ukrainians.

I don’t have family in the border regions that were lost in our wars. But my grandfather fought in the Continuation War and Lapland War - like so many grandfathers. It was a weird experience last year to all of a sudden get so inexplicably triggered by this generational trauma

Growing up in the 90s & 00s, I never thought much about Russia or the eastern border (I didn’t do the military service). Finland was much more focused on the EU and that’s prob what Russia couldn’t stand. We don’t get to just ignore Russia, Putin has made sure of that

Neither Finns nor Estonians or others calling for maximum deterrent against Russian aggression are the warmongers here. All of us wished more than anything that Russia could just be a peaceful, normal neighbour with which you can have peaceful, normal neighbourly relations

The problem is that if something happens every couple generations that confirms the old trauma, you never get over it as a nation. Finns still remember the Russian oppression called “Great Wrath” in early 1700s and Russification periods in late 1800s/ early 1900s.

It’s just really depressing that now we’re again at the beginning of this generational cycle. And in Ukraine none of this will be forgotten. The most important thing for Ukraine’s supporters is not to demand Ukrainians to forgive and forget - it’ll be impossible for a long time.