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The train to Russia stopped running. Lappeenranta limps on.

The borderless Nordic region turned out to be an illusion during the pandemic. It hit the Øresund region, border trade between Sweden and Norway and the citizens of Haparanda and Tornio. But Finland has an eastern border where traffic has ceased because of the pandemic. Today the war in Ukraine has made the situation even worse for Lappeenranta – the city with the closest links with Russia.

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Kimmo Jarva

Kimmo Jarva 2

is Lappeenranta's Mayor. Here he peeks through a modern sculpture in the city square, which could symbolise the confusing time his city finds itself in. But Jarva has a clear message:

"For the city it is important to maintain communication that prevents disagreement and quarrel between different nationalities. We have had some situations, but no major problems."

Discrimination or racism will not be tolerated.

"It is important to remember that even if you speak Russian – or Ukrainian – you are not to blame for what is now happening in Ukraine," says Kimmo Jarva.

Increased interest in Sweden

Many of the region’s companies are interested in Sweden, but Swedes have not yet flocked to Lappeenranta, jokes Mika Peltonen, who for the past year has been both the Chief Executive of the South Karelia chamber of commerce and Sweden’s Honorary Consul to the south-eastern regions along the border with Russia.

He wants to promote cooperation and trade between local and Swedish companies. He also visits schools to talk about his job and the benefits of being able to speak Swedish.

But has interest in Sweden increased in line with the reduction in eastward trade, and the current full stop as a result of sanctions? It is not that simple. The interest in Nordic cooperation has always been present in South Karelia and in Finland as a whole, regardless of Russia, according to Mika Peltonen.

Russia feels different, with different rules, business culture and demand for products. By contrast, the Swedish and Finnish markets are so similar that they almost feel like domestic markets. The Russian market is more challenging, harder to predict and more bureaucratic. The demand for goods is also different, says Peltonen.

Frozen political and informal contacts

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Lappeenranta has cut off all cooperation with Russia and the city’s permanent representation in St Petersburg has closed. There is no more cooperation with Vyborg either. That means no more funding for the necessary renovation of houses and areas in the once Finnish city.

Aid has instead been redirected to Ukraine. Lappeenranta also hosts a chapter of the Norden Association (Pohjola-Norden), but it has not managed to mitigate all the challenges in the wake of the Corona pandemic.

The same seems to be true for the Finland-Russia Society. That organisation’s entire existence and state support has been severely called into question lately.

Other international institutions in Lappeenranta include a Russian consulate and a Swedish Honorary Consulate.

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The train to Russia stopped running. Lappeenranta limps on.