”Killing people cannot solve any problem”

Liisa Taskinen – Member of the Central Committee of Communist Party of Finland (SKP) – gave a speech at the International Anti-Fascist Forum in Moscow, Russia on 24th May 2026. The organizer of the forum was Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

”Finland has a warlike history of more than 700 years between Sweden and Russia, as the eastern province of Sweden. The transition to the Russian Empire in 1809 brought peace for more than a hundred years. Independence in 1917 closed the border with Soviet Russia and brought the right-wing government closer to Germany, especially in the 1930s, when the communists were in prison and underground.  

The alliance with Nazi Germany and the joint attack across the Finnish border to the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941 led to a catastrophe for our country. After the lost war and the cession of territory, it was time to change the line. 

The then president Paasikivi stated that Finland must be on good terms with the Soviet Union and all neighbouring countries. Finland must give guarantees that our country will not be used to attack the Soviet Union under any circumstances. President Urho Kekkonen continued along the same lines. He was our long-term president, respected by our people, by the Soviet Union and by the West. During his time, the relations between our countries became economically and culturally significant. After his experiences, President Kekkonen was a man of peace: ”Finland is neutral and militarily non-aligned, but in matters of war and peace, we are on the side of peace against war.”  

Little by little, cutting off all ties with Russia is receiving growing criticism in our country.  

Now Finland is a member of NATO. Communist Party of Finland opposed it and the defense cooperation agreement with the United States. It is understandable that Russia perceives a threat from Finland, and considers Finland as an unfriendly country. Finland has closed our eastern border, all connections between the two countries have been cut off. Not even postcards cross the border. Little by little, cutting off all ties with Russia is receiving growing criticism in our country.  

Even peaceful Finland has experienced political terrorism. When Finland was an autonomous part of the Russian Empire, and the Russian Governor – General exercided supreme power, the tsarist regime began a policy of repression of non-Russian nationalities. In 1904 the governor-general Bobrikov was murded as a protest. But a new governor-general was nominated immedeatly. 

In the 1920-ies far right terrorism against liberal politicians created fear. In 1922 the Minister of Interior Affairs Heikki Ritavuori was assassinated, because he prevented Finnish nationalists from interfering in the nationalist uprising in Soviet Karelia, just next to the Finnish border. The then president Ståhlberg ordered him to stop the nationalists. Later, in 1930 he as a retired president and his very popular spouse were captured and transported far from home, before they were released. After this the extremist movement finally lost its popularity. 

In 1977 neo-Nazis burned down the communist printing house. Last 1st of May, just four weeks ago, was violent in Tampere. Masked far-right activists assaulted at least three people who peacefully opposed their march. 

As long as even one country is not secured, not any country is secured.

Terrorism, whether it is the action of small groups or the actions of the world´s most powerful military powers does not lead to a good outcome, but creates new and more difficult problems. Killing people cannot solve any problem. 

Therefore, Communist Party of Finland supports a common, collective security system that takes into account the interests and needs of all, not one based on military force and an arms race. As long as even one country is not secured, not any country is secured.”

Liisa Taskinen 
Communist Party of Finland