Finland’s Cold War Neutrality

This paper explores the Soviet perception of Finnish neutrality during the Cold War, focusing on Finland’s foreign policy and its relationship with the USSR. Positioned between the Soviet Union and Western Europe, Finland adopted neutrality to protect its independence amid East-West tensions. Key figures like Juho Kusti Paasikivi and Urho Kekkonen shaped Finland’s foreign policy through the 1948 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance. The paper examines Soviet security concerns, Finland’s geopolitical significance, and its balance between Western integration and Soviet demands. Finnish neutrality was an active strategy, maintaining peaceful relations with the USSR while engaging with the West. It also looks at how Finnish neutrality evolved during crises like the 1961 Soviet request for consultations and the Soviet invasions of Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Finnish neutrality was a pragmatic response to Cold War pressures, preserving sovereignty under Soviet influence.