HELSINKI. Jan 9 (Interfax) - Finland's border with Russia will remain closed, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said.
"Unfortunately, the threat assessment of the eastern border remains unchanged, which is why we cannot open the border," Orpo told journalists on Wednesday after discussing security issues at a meeting with party leaders and the heads of parliamentary factions.
"Russia's shadow fleet is the biggest problem in the Baltic Sea", he said, adding that the European Union and NATO are actively searching for ways to counter it.
In 2023-2024, the Finnish authorities repeatedly made decisions on closing all eight passenger crossings along the eastern border, citing an influx of migrants from third countries towards the Finnish border allegedly organized by Russia. They described that as "hybrid attacks" by Russia and a security threat.
The Finnish government said in April 2024 that it would keep the border with Russia closed "until further notice."