Amid economic difficulties in the border regions, Finland and Russia discussed the possible opening of the border between the countries. During the meeting, Finnish representatives stated that the full opening of the border may not take place before the end of February 2025, but this date will depend on further developments and the stability of the situation.

The Finnish side noted that the closed borders had hit the economy of the border regions, where a significant part of the business was previously built on tourism and trade flows from Russia. The flow of tourists had sharply decreased and local companies were incurring significant losses, which had already affected the standard of living of the population and complicated communication between Finns and their relatives in Russia. According to the Finnish representatives, opening at least one border point would help stabilize the situation and support local economic initiatives.

Finland is considering partially opening one border crossing point this winter if the migration situation does not become an obstacle. Finnish authorities are concerned about the risks of a possible increase in migration flows and want to prepare thoroughly to avoid problems at the border.