Finland cannot open border with Russia — Prime Minister

Helsinki, Finland (Svidomi) — Finland's eastern border will remain closed, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo says in an interview with Yle TV programme.

"We cannot open the borders. At the same time, we need to prepare measures against any illegal entry. There will be no easy solutions. But the main principle is that we will take care of the security of Finland's borders and national security. This comes first," Prime Minister Orpo added.

According to the government's decision, the eastern border will remain closed until February 11.

In December 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the reconstruction of a military district on the border with Finland.

It will be recalled that the Finnish-Russian border was closed for the first time in November 2023. Read more about the reasons for the closure in our explainer.