4 weeks ago
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Friday visited nan FInland-Russia border, vowing that Europe stands by Finland's broadside against Russian "hybrid attacks." Photo by Mauri Ratilainen/EPA-EFE
April 19 (UPI) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Finland's separator pinch Russia Friday, vowing to guidelines by Finland against what she called Russian hybrid attacks.
She joined Finland Prime Minister Petteri Orpo astatine nan Imatra separator crossing and for bilateral discussions connected nan business astatine nan border.
"Russia's hybrid attacks are not conscionable about Finland's security." von der Leyen said connected X. "This is astir nan information of nan full EU. This is why I was present today."
She added that she came to nan separator to show Finland "that Europe stands by your side. For nan information of nan borders and to support nan separator regions."
Finland announced April 4 that it was closing its separator pinch Russia until further announcement owed to what Finland described arsenic "instrumentalized migration" utilized by Russia to effort to destabilize Finland by sending undocumented migrants to Finnish separator crossings.
"The charismatic separator crossing points astatine nan eastbound separator are now closed. With nan presence of outpouring and milder weather, location is a increasing risk that Russia will promote group to effort to transverse nan separator into Finland illegally betwixt charismatic crossing points," Orpo said successful a statement.
Orpo said he would for illustration to spot an EU-wide solution to protect personnel states from being targeted by instrumentalized migration.
He said Finland's main connection to von der Leyen was that "keeping Eastern Finland inhabited is very important for Finland.
"It is basal for this to beryllium taken into relationship successful EU backing and successful nan programme for nan adjacent Commission," he said.
Orpo and von der Leyen flew by chopper from Lappeenranta to nan Imatra separator crossing. Finland Interior Minister Mari Rantanen gave von der Leyen an overview of nan separator issues.
Finland has said that Russia has a strategy of intentionally sending ample numbers of migrants to Finland's borders arsenic a intends to weaken aliases destabilize nan country.
