Finland urges EU to help end migrant influx from Russia

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Friday called on the European Union to help his country stop an influx of migrants via Russia.

The Nordic nation closed its eastern border in mid-December after nearly 1,000 migrants had arrived without a visa through its frontier with Russia since August. Most of them were from the Middle East or Africa.

The two neighbors share a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border and Helsinki has accused the Kremlin of weaponizing migration in response to Finland's accession to NATO, triggered by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen traveled to the Finnish-Russia border at Lappeenranta in the Arctic with Orpo on Friday to see the situation for herself. 

What did the two leaders say?

Orpo said Finland was preparing new legislation to tackle the irregular migrant arrivals but said, "We also need EU measures."

Von der Leyen noted how Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies "instrumentalize migrants to test our defenses and to try to destabilize us."

"Now Putin is focusing on Finland, and this is no doubt in response to your firm support of Ukraine and your accession to NATO," she told reporters.

Russia threatened "countermeasures" after Finland joined the military alliance in April last year, reversing its decades-long policy of neutrality. Sweden joined earlier this year.

Von der Leyen said the Commission is working closely with the migrants' countries of origin to stop the flow of irregular arrivals.

But she said any measures must strike a balance between protecting the security of borders and international obligations.

The Finnish migration crisis comes almost three years after Belarus allowed migrants to fly in and then head to the border with neighboring Poland, Lithuania and Latvia to gain entry to the EU.

The stunt caused a serious deterioration in relations between the European Union and Minsk.

What is Finland doing to stop migrants entering from Russia?

Finland closed its eastern border with Russia in mid-December. The restriction has been extended several times.

Helsinki has closed eight of its nine checkpoints with Russia. The only one that remains open is dedicated to rail travel — mostly cargo trains.

Earlier this month, the Finnish government said the border crossing would remain closed "until further notice" since the situation remained unchanged.

Finland is drafting a new law that would allow border guards to block asylum seekers entering the country from Russia.

The proposed measures are similar to those introduced by EU neighbors when their land borders saw sudden large arrivals in migrant arrivals.

mm/lo (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)