Finland in Ukraine

Finland strongly condemns Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Finland supports Ukraine politically and by providing defence materiel and other materiel support. Finland also supports Ukraine extensively through development cooperation, humanitarian mine action, humanitarian assistance, civilian crisis management and through the Council of Europe, CSOs and NATO funds.

Finland has supported Ukraine’s education sector reform. This support has been used for improving learning materials and learning environments, among others. Image: DPA Picture Alliance

Ukraine is committed to extensive reform programmes that are necessary for its convergence with the European Union. Ukraine was granted EU candidate country status in June 2022, and the accession negotiations began in December 2023. Ukraine has already implemented reforms that have brought concrete benefits to citizens and improved the country’s capacity to respond to various internal and external threats. Despite Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the Ukrainian government and authorities have been able to continue their work.

Read more about Finland’s support to Ukraine

Finland’s goals in Ukraine

Ukraine is committed to extensive reform programmes that are necessary for its convergence with the European Union. Ukraine was granted EU candidate country status in June 2022, and the accession negotiations began in December 2023. Ukraine has already implemented reforms that have brought concrete benefits to citizens and improved the country’s capacity to respond to various internal and external threats. Despite Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the Ukrainian government and authorities have been able to continue their work. 

Finland’s goals in Ukraine are defined in the Country Strategy drawn up in May 2021 and in the bilateral security cooperation agreement signed in Kiev in April 2024. In line with the Programme of Petteri Orpo’s Government, Finland is also drawing up a national plan for participation in the reconstruction of Ukraine. The first part of the plan was published in December 2023, and the second part is due in 2024. The plan will replace the Country Strategy for Ukraine. 

Finland provides comprehensive support for Ukraine. Finland’s goal is to support Ukraine in bringing peace in accordance with President Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula. Other goals are to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation, to improve the resilience of the Ukrainian society and the living conditions of its citizens, and to strengthen relations between the European Union and Ukraine.

• Finland’s Country Strategy for Ukraine 2021–2024 (PDF, 258 KB)
• Reconstruction of Ukraine : Finland’s national plan, part one(Link to another website.)
• Reconstruction of Ukraine: Finland's national plan, part two(Link to another website.)
• Відновлення та відбудова України : Національний план Фінляндії, другий етап(Link to another website.)

Finland’s partners in Ukraine

Finland’s partners in Ukraine are the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe, international development finance institutions and UN organisations. Finland acts as part of the European Union and promotes the implementation of the EU–Ukraine agreements and related cooperation, including accession negotiations with Ukraine and the implementation of the Ukraine Facility. 

Finland funds humanitarian mine action in Ukraine and provides needs-based humanitarian assistance. Civilian material assistance has been delivered to Ukraine through the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism. The EU Advisory Mission (EUAM) supports Ukraine in reforming its civil security system. Finland also supports the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM), which provides training to the Ukrainian armed forces.  

Finland supports the Council of Europe Action Plan, which encourages Ukraine to increase the independence of the judiciary, to promote the implementation of European human rights standards, to pursue good governance and to protect the rights of minorities and internally displaced persons.

Finland supports the resilience and continued functioning of Ukraine’s public sector through the World Bank’s multi-donor trust funds that help the Ukrainian Government pay wages, pensions and social benefits.

Finnish civil society organisations support the development of Ukraine’s society in collaboration with the country’s civil society actors. Support has been allocated to mediation efforts and to improving the position of persons with disabilities, among other targets.

Commercial cooperation

The reconstruction of Ukraine will take several years, and it is estimated to cost hundreds of billions of euros. Reconstruction will require a great deal of international support. Finland and Finnish companies have plenty of expertise that will be useful in rebuilding Ukraine, for example in the fields of green transition, digital transformation, telecommunications, energy, ecologically sustainable construction, teaching, water and waste management, planning, agriculture and healthcare. The Team Finland network helps Finnish companies in preparing for and participating in Ukraine’s reconstruction. The first part of Reconstruction of Ukraine: Finland’s national plan(Link to another website.) was published in December 2023. It presented measures to enable Finnish companies to better participate in the reconstruction work. The second part of the plan will be published in 2024, and it will have a broader focus on Finland’s support to Ukraine, including development cooperation.

The free trade agreement between the European Union and Ukraine has increased trade between the EU and Ukraine. Since Russia started its war of aggression against Ukraine, the European Union has also supported Ukraine through unilateral trade preferences. In February 2024, the EU agreed on the EUR 50 billion Ukraine Facility for 2024–2027 to support Ukraine’s short-term financing needs, medium-term reconstruction and reforms necessary for Ukraine’s convergence with the EU.