In an effort to protect national security, the government of Finland is considering prohibiting a large number of Russian nationals from purchasing real estate in the Nordic nation, Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen announced on Monday. After decades of non-alignment, Finland's relations with bordering Russia became unstable following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As a result, Helsinki decided to join NATO. The proposed real estate acquisition restriction is subject to expert feedback before a subsequent parliamentary vote. It would exempt Russians with permanent residence in Finland and other EU countries, as well as dual citizens.