The Finnish government has announced that the eastern border with Russia will remain closed due to a high threat of instrumentalized migration. Officials indicated that the border can only be reopened in the most serious situations where other measures fail to ensure Finland’s sovereignty or national security.
No amendments to the law regarding border control are currently being proposed. The closure of border checkpoints, which has been in effect since December 15, 2023, is deemed sufficient to mitigate risks associated with instrumentalized migration.
Context
- At the end of 2023, the Finnish government decided to close four border checkpoints with Russia. This decision was made in response to an increase in attempts to cross the border with incomplete travel documents in previous months. The closure has been extended multiple times and will remain in effect indefinitely as of April 4, 2024.
