MOSCOW: Moscow said Thursday it expected Finland to urgently return to Russia consignments of valuable works of art that have been seized by Finnish customs in line with Western sanctions.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine on February 24, the EU adopted a series of sanctions including those prohibiting the sale, supply, transfer or export of luxury goods — including works of art — to Russia.
Earlier Thursday the Finnish ambassador to Russia, Antti Helantera, was summoned by the foreign ministry in Moscow over the seizure of valuables.
“We have stressed that what is happening cannot be called anything other than legal lawlessness,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Moscow is expecting an urgent decision of the Finnish authorities regarding the return of museum valuables to Russia.”
Three consignments of valuable art bound for Russia were seized by Finnish customs last weekend, suspected of contravening EU sanctions.
On Thursday afternoon, Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told reporters that Finland is in talks with Brussels to find a way to return the works to Russia as soon as possible.
“If there are paintings in circulation from museums that have been exhibited in other countries, they belong in those museums and should be returned there,” Haavisto said.
“The EU sanctions have not taken into account special circumstances such as these,” he added.
Having been on loan from Russian galleries to museums in Italy and Japan, the paintings, statues and antiques were being returned, with head of enforcement Sami Rakshit saying that some of the art came from Saint Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum.
The works of art will continue to be held in a warehouse until the situation is clarified or the sanctions are lifted, Finnish officials have said.