On Friday, she visited Finland to see with her own eyes how border control with Russia works.
– We all know that President Vladimir Putin and his friends are using migrants as a tool to prove our defense and to lower the situation on our side of the border, said the head of the European Commission.
She said that there is no doubt that Putin is turning his attention to Finland in response to Finland’s support for Ukraine and its decision to join NATO.
At the beginning of April, the Finnish government decided to extend the border closure indefinitely. This was done with reference to the leadership in the Kremlin that was behind organized migration to put pressure on Finland.
Finland has closed eight out of nine border crossings. The only one that is still open only lets trains pass, especially freight trains. Finland has a 1,340 kilometer long border with Russia.
The article continues below the advertisementThe article continues below the advertisement
– This is not just about the security of Finland, but the security of the whole EU. We stand together on this. Maybe we should do more like the Finns in terms of security, von der Leyen said after the trip to the border at Lappeenranta with Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.
The Prime Minister said in a statement after the visit that the spring weather increases the risk that Russia will help people who want to enter Finland illegally by land, but outside the fixed crossing stations.
Most of the migrants come from the Middle East and Africa. Most have applied for political asylum.
2024-04-19 11:12:40
#security #Finland
