Finland accuses Russia of orchestrating migrant crisis on border, requests help from EU

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has accused Russia of orchestrating a migrant crisis on its border while pleading with the European Union for assistance.

He levelled the allegation while speaking alongside the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday (Apr 19) during a visit to the Russia-Finland border.

“We visited with madame president the border and we described what kind of situation is – and now we have to find common solutions to stop this phenomenon when Russia used illegal immigrants against us. We are preparing our own legislation but we also need EU-level measures,” he said.

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“I’m very thankful that the Commission, the European Union, the other member states, have supported us – and Ursula, you especially supported us, at the beginning of this phenomenon,” he added.

Finland had extended the closure of its borders with Russia on April 4 till “further notice” as the government blames Moscow for “a high risk of organized migration.”

Finland has now shut down eight of its nine checkpoints with Russia. The only one that remains open is dedicated to rail travel only.

Ursula said the issue was not related to just Finland’s security but that of the whole European Union.

“This is not just about the security of Finland, but it is about the security of the European Union. We are in this together,” she said after visiting the border in Lappeenranta.

"We should be more Finnish when it comes to security,” she added.

Orpo alleged that Russia was taking advantage of warmer weather to help people illegally enter Finland via land border.

Most of these immigrants come from Africa and the Middle East, with almost all of them seeking asylum in the EU.

In April 2023, Finland made a significant decision to join NATO, putting an end to its long-standing neutrality that had been in place since its defeat by the Soviet Union in World War II. Earlier in March this year, Sweden also became a member of the trans-Atlantic alliance. This move was seen as a major setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin, as it led to a historic shift in Europe's post-Cold War security landscape.

(With inputs from agencies)