Head of European Commission visits closed Finland-Russia border
Petteri Orpo and Ursula von der Leyen (twitter.com/vonderleyen)
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen made a visit to Finland, where she toured the border with Russia. The border between the countries remains closed, according to Ursula von der Leyen's X and Yle.
Ursula von der Leyen and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo visited the border town of Lappeenranta. The head of the European Commission and the Finnish government flew over the border with Russia in a helicopter.
Russia’s hybrid attacks are not just about Finland's security.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 19, 2024
This is about the security of the entire EU.
This is why I was here today.
To tell you that Europe stands by your side.
For the security of the borders and to support the border regions. pic.twitter.com/Az7uy2gTAV
Following this, the politicians held a joint press conference. The head of the European Commission emphasized that there is much for EU countries to learn from Finland.
"I say once again that we should all be more Finnish when it comes to safety. We can learn a lot about Finland's preparedness at all levels of society. It helps you respond to various crises quickly," she said.
Ursula von der Leyen also said that Russia has begun a similar hybrid operation against Finland, which was previously observed on the borders of Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. In her opinion, this has nothing to do with immigration but rather the use of migrants as a tool.
"Now Putin has set his sights on Finland. This is certainly due to your strong support for Ukraine and joining NATO. You have acted decisively against this threat," added the head of the European Commission.
Closure of the Finland-Russia border
Back in November 2023, the Finnish authorities decided to close all border crossings with Russia. This decision was made against the backdrop of a significant number of illegal migrants who sought to enter Finland from Russian territory.
On December 13, the government reviewed its decision and resumed the operation of two border crossing points. However, within a few days, the border had to be completely closed again due to a new wave of migrants.
Currently, the Finnish authorities say that they do not see any possibility of reopening the border with Russia.
Finland joined NATO after Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
