The Finnish National flag raised at Helsinki harbour.

Very well, alonePhotograph: Bjoern Steinz/ Panos Pictures

Oct 9th 2025|Helsinki|3 min read

On a sunny afternoon aboard an icebreaker in Helsinki’s harbour, it is possible to forget that the border of a warmongering dictatorship is just 150km away. The ships, powerful enough to provide electricity for a small town, are a potential high-tech export to America. They are also a sign of the strains on the Finnish economy. Ever since war in Ukraine broke out and Finland closed its border with Russia, it must trade via the Baltic Sea, hoping to eke out growth in icy conditions.

Signage for Mizuho Bank Ltd., a unit of Mizuho Financial Group Inc. (MHFG), at one of the bank's branches in Tokyo, Japan.

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