EU allocates funds to Finland for border protection against Russia, Belarus

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that the European Commission allocated 170 million euros ($178 million) to Finland for border protection efforts along its borders with Russia and Belarus.

"Finland, together with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Norway, is bravely guarding our borders against all threats from Russia and Belarus. They are protecting our shared borders. That is why today we are allocating 170 million euros to support their efforts," she said, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

She also noted that she had discussed this decision with Finnish authorities. According to a press release from the Finnish Interior Ministry, 50 million euros ($52 million) of the allocated 170 million euros will be used to enhance surveillance along the border with Russia.

"These 50 million euros in additional funding is significant. It will be used to expand technical monitoring coverage and ensure more timely situational awareness," Finland's Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said.

Since November 2023, the Finnish government has closed vehicle checkpoints on its border with Russia, citing an uncontrolled flow of refugees from third countries. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova remarked that Finland's decision to close border crossings creates new divisions in Europe, and Moscow’s response will be considered in an interdepartmental format.

By Naila Huseynova