'We can sleep soundly at night': Finland sees no threat of possible attack from Russia

He shared this view during a press conference with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson in Stockholm.

"In Finland, we can sleep soundly at night, we are well prepared. However, all EU and NATO countries should also be prepared for all possible scenarios," stated Orpo.

Simultaneously, he urged European partners to bolster defense industry capabilities and ammunition production. This call is particularly aimed at maintaining support for Ukraine.

"Strategic competitiveness means strengthening our economic base, developing a more dynamic single market based on free movement, ensuring fair competition and improving our ability to conclude trade agreements," he added.

Closing border with Russia

On November 30, 2023, the Finnish authorities closed all border crossing points with Russia due to a significant influx of illegal migrants attempting to enter Finland.

On December 13, the government reopened two border crossing points, but they were closed again within a few days due to a new wave of migrants.

On January 11, the Finnish government decided to extend the closure of borders with Russia for another month, with borders expected to remain closed until February 11.

Finland recently announced plans to construct more temporary barriers to prevent illegal border crossings from Russia. However, it is unlikely that barbed wire or other barriers will be erected along the entire eastern border of Finland and Russia. The length of the eastern land border between the two countries is 1300 kilometers, with approximately 70% covered by coniferous or mixed forests and 10% consisting of water resources, lakes, and the sea. These are sparsely populated regions.