Finland is set to implement restrictions on vehicles with Russian license plates, according to reports by the Finnish broadcasting company Yle, citing sources. The move comes amid broader European Union (EU) efforts to respond to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
As per the information provided, vehicles with Russian license plates, designed to carry fewer than ten passengers, will no longer be permitted to cross the Finnish border. However, there will be certain exceptions to this entry ban, which will be communicated at a later time.
The exact date for the implementation of this restriction has not been confirmed yet, and further details are expected to be announced by Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, later on Friday.
Finland intends to align itself with the EU’s collective approach on this matter, marking a shift from previous statements by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which had indicated that vehicles with Russian license plates could still enter the country. However, Pia Sarivaara, the Head of the Sanctions Unit at Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informed Yle that Finland plans to discuss this issue with other EU countries that share borders with Russia.
It’s worth noting that Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have already closed their borders to vehicles with Russian license plates as part of the broader EU response to war n in Ukraine.
