In a significant development, Finland has decided to completely shut down its land border with Russia until December 13th. This announcement was made by Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and reported by Bloomberg.
The move is aimed at normalizing the situation at the border as quickly as possible, according to Orpo.
Helsinki believes that the temporary and complete closure of border checkpoints will effectively address the issue of the migration flow from Russia to Finland.
This decision follows Finland's earlier action on November 18th, when it closed four southeastern border checkpoints until February 18th. The closure was justified by what was described as a mass movement of third-country immigrants to the Finnish border, organized by the Russian side, seeking asylum in Finland.
On November 22nd, the Finnish government decided to close three more checkpoints until December 23rd, leaving only the northernmost Raja-Jooseppi (Lotta on the Russian side) open, as the influx of asylum seekers showed no signs of decreasing.
On November 26th, Orpo indicated that even this last functioning checkpoint on the eastern border might be closed, and asylum applications would then have to be made elsewhere. The Prime Minister also stated that he does not intend to discuss the border situation with the Russian side, but Helsinki is ready for diplomatic-level negotiations.
This closure represents a significant tightening of Finland's border policy with Russia and reflects ongoing tensions in the region. The Finnish government's decision to close all land border crossings with Russia for two weeks is seen as a response to the increasing pressure of migration and the complex geopolitical situation in Europe.
