Finland says embassy bank accounts in Russia frozen since April

Finland, which has a long border with Russia, formally joined NATO on April 4 in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that drew a threat from Moscow of counter-measures. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told reporters the bank accounts had stopped working on April 27.

The bank accounts of Finland's embassy and consulate in Russia are frozen and the Nordic country has not had an explanation from its neighbour, the Finnish foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Finland, which has a long border with Russia, formally

joined NATO on April 4 in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that drew a threat from Moscow of counter-measures.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told reporters the bank accounts had stopped working on April 27. "The accounts of Finnish embassies have been frozen in Russia and at the moment they cannot be used," Haavisto said, adding the missions had been using their cash reserves to pay bills.

Haavisto said Finland had sent Russian authorities a notice on May 4 requesting that Russia ensure the missions' ability to function in Russia and asking for an official explanation for the freeze, but it had not received one so far. Russia's central bank did not respond to a request for comment.

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