THE MAJORITY of Finns approve of the adoption of broad-based sanctions against Russia even if they create economic difficulties or lower the standard of living in Finland, reveals a survey carried out for Helsingin Sanomat by Kantar TNS.
As many as 87 per cent of the over 1,000 survey respondents expressed their readiness to face the consequences of sanctions.
Almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents estimated that Finnish companies should discontinue their operations in Russia due to the war in Ukraine. One in 10 respondents did not make such a demand to companies.
Most Finns, the survey also found, are ready to help Ukraine and Ukrainians.
With only 11 per cent of respondents indicating that they are not prepared to help and another 11 per cent that they have no opinion on the matter, as many as 78 per cent of respondents are ready to help. Almost half (49%) of respondents told that they have or are ready to donate money, 28 per cent that they have or are ready to donate products, three per cent that they have or are ready to accommodate Ukrainians in their home, and 28 per cent that they have or are ready to to help in other ways.
The share of women who had donated or are ready to donate money stood at 55 per cent, that of men at 42 per cent. Over 70-year-olds, residents of the capital region and the highly educated were also more willing than the average respondent to donate money for Ukraine.
The willingness to donate money was high especially among supporters of the Green League, low among supporters of the Finns Party.
The respondents also expressed their approval of the decision to deliver weapons and medical aid to the country under military attack from Russia. Of the 85 per cent who viewed so, about half were of the opinion that the aid has been sufficient and the other half that the aid has been insufficient.
Only five per cent of respondents estimated that the government made the wrong decision by helping Ukraine.
Kantar TNS interviewed 1,081 people for the survey between 25 and 30 March.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT