EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Friday that Russia was now focusing its hybrid attacks on neighboring Finland, using migrants to try to destabilize the country.
The Nordic nation closed its eastern border in mid-December after nearly 1,000 migrants had arrived without a visa through its border crossings with Russia since August.
The two neighbors share a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border, and Helsinki has said the surge in asylum seekers has been orchestrated by Russia, a charge that Moscow has denied.
“Since the hybrid attack launched by Belarus in November 2021 against Latvia, Poland and Lithuania, we all know how Putin and his allies instrumentalized migrants to test our defenses and to try to destabilize us,” von der Leyen told reporters on Friday.
“Now, Putin is focusing on Finland.”
Belarus in 2021 orchestrated an influx of migrants to neighboring Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, leading to a serious deterioration in relations between the European Union and Minsk.
Von der Leyen was speaking after meeting Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in the Finnish town of Lappeenranta, some 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Russian border, to discuss “what Finland and the EU can do to prevent instrumentalized migration to Finland’s eastern border,” according to a statement.
The closure of Finland's eight border stations was extended several times and in April the government said it would remain closed “until further notice,” since the situation remained unchanged.
Do svidaniya! Finland's Fading Interest in Russian Language
The EU chief said Russia's hybrid attack “is no doubt in response to your firm support of Ukraine and your accession to NATO.”
Finland's relations with Russia soured after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow warned of “countermeasures” after Finland joined NATO in April 2023, reversing its decades-long policy of military non-alignment.
In addition to the total border closure, Finland is currently preparing legislation aimed at restricting migration to tackle the phenomenon.
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Comments (2)
Well, if Russia denies it, we know it is true. Although if I were a migrant in Russia, I’d be looking to get out of there as fast as I could any which way, and going to a European country with a long and hopefully (from their point of view) porous border, would be preferable. The alternative is to stay in Russia until swept up for military service, Meat Wave platoon, which is pretty much a death sentence.
Surprise, surprise....So now the russians do to Finland what they do to other democratic nations. Generate chaos elsewhere in the world and then funnel the refugees towards the borders of his allied democratic enemies.
As per the article: “Since the hybrid attack launched by Belarus in November 2021 against Latvia, Poland and Lithuania, we all know how Putin and his allies instrumentalized migrants to test our defenses and to try to destabilize us,” von der Leyen told reporters on Friday. Turkey, Italy, Malta, Spain and Portugal have now dealt with this for decades of putin's malfeasance.
Sound familiar Americans? Do you get it yet MAGA folks? Illegal immigration to the USA rose by 2.3 million under Trump compared to Obama. It's increasing by millions again under Biden. Its been rising under each president since putin took office.
This is a preferred means putin uses to destabilize the democratic allied nations. He not only often profits (by stealing resources) from causing violent coups in fragile nations, but we established democratic nations end up paying the bill as we try to humanely manage the refugee flows funneling to our borders.
Its putins and similar despot regime's leaderships fault. Please channel your anger and angst towards these despot leaders.
These refugee surges will not end until their malfeasant regimes end.
@John, Well said, the use of instrumentalized migration by malignant regimes is something that many of us may not be aware of.
@SMC, the Briben admin is well aware and actively pursuing it as they hate their own country.
@MRGA troll jack THE MORON IS DELUSIONAL,
What was your point again troll 'jack'? I get it some in the MRGA cult are a bit slow to recognize the techniques and impact of hybrid war.
Hopefully as you digest what I've written above you will become wiser.