Finnish troops will not take part in combat activities during eventual post-war peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine, according to Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP).
He made the comments in Rome on Thursday, while at the Ukraine Recovery Conference, the fourth iteration of the meeting.
On the other hand, Orpo said that Finland would play a role in training and offer expertise in Ukraine after the war, which entered its fourth year at the end of February.
On Thursday, UK PM Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron said that plans for post-war peacekeeping operations in Ukraine are ready for the next steps.
However, countries involved in efforts after the war will have some key limitations, Orpo explained.
"We'll go into more detail when peacekeeping efforts are pertinent. Big countries like France and Britain will play a central role in peacekeeping. Countries that share a border with Russia will have a smaller role," Orpo told Finnish news agency STT by phone.
Finland and Russia share a 1,340-km border, which is also an external border of the EU and Nato. Finland has built fencing along some stretches of the border.
Orpo did not offer comment on a Reuters report suggesting that Finland was set to begin domestic production of anti-personnel landmines next year, for its own — and Ukraine's — use.
"I can say that the Finnish defence industry in general has very large potential, it's growing rapidly, and cooperation with Ukraine is significant in this regard," Orpo said.
Hosted by Macron and Starmer, leaders and diplomats from countries supporting Ukraine attended the two-day recovery conference. Alongside them were international organisations, as well as financial and business groups, meeting to strengthen and coordinate support for Ukraine's reconstruction.
The PM said he joined Finnish President Alexander Stubb remotely at a meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing. Participants discussed strengthening Ukraine's defences, with the United States taking part for the first time.
Orpo said it was a positive development to see that the US' attitude towards Ukraine has changed.
Trump's changed attitude
"There has been some ambiguity about what the US and President Donald Trump's attitude towards Russia is. The message from the United States now seems to be that they are now strongly involved in defending Ukraine," Orpo said, according to STT.
"The fact that Trump's representatives came to the meeting conveys a clear message that the United States is now involved in this," Orpo said. "Now the United States stands with a united front. Trump is disappointed with Putin, who does not want peace."
Trump has recently voiced major dissatisfaction about a phone call he held with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Orpo said he welcomed the change in tone.
"Clearly, his irritation with Putin's continuous war and bombing, and unwillingness to achieve peace has brought about a change," Orpo said, adding that an effort towards establishing new sanctions on Russia is moving forward.
He said that the sanctions plans by the US and Europe "must now be completed".
"We believe the sanctions packages will put strong pressure on Russia and force Russia to the negotiating table," Orpo said.
At the start of the conference, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU had raised 2.3 billion euros to be used in Ukraine's post-war reconstruction, with aims to raise that figure to 10 billion euros.
There are plans to use those funds to build and repair homes and hospitals, as well as revive businesses and energy infrastructure.
"Billion-dollar reconstruction agreements were made at the reconstruction conference. Hundreds of companies, including a dozen Finnish operators, also attended," Orpo noted.