Finland’s prime minister, Petteri Orpo, indicated that the border with Russia cannot be opened at this moment due to a substantial number of people attempting to cross illegally. He shared these thoughts during a morning program on the public broadcaster, emphasizing that the current border policy must be upheld for security and orderly immigration management.
According to Orpo, there are signals of organized attempts at the eastern border to gain illegal entry. He stressed that opening the border is not a viable option while those risks persist, and he pointed to the scale of the issue by noting thousands of people could be affected by any misstep in border policy. The emphasis was on preventing unlawful crossings and maintaining the integrity of Finland’s frontier, a priority in the government’s view.
Prior to these remarks, the Finnish Border Guard had already taken action by closing the checkpoint on two occasions. Initially, automobile checkpoints were suspended from November 30 to December 14, 2023. Subsequently, two checkpoints reopened, but asylum seekers and migrants began moving again, prompting the government to prolong the border closure. This sequence illustrates how border management decisions respond to evolving conditions along the eastern frontier.
As events stood, the current directive kept the eastern border closed through February 11, with analysts noting that a further extension was likely. The prolonged closure reflects ongoing concerns about illegal crossings, organized smuggling networks, and the capacity of enforcement agencies to monitor a porous border in a volatile security environment.
Observers have noted that the situation presents real difficulties for Finland at its Russian frontier, underscoring the broader regional security and humanitarian questions involved. The government has framed the measures as temporary and precautionary, aimed at ensuring border control, public safety, and predictable processing for those seeking asylum. In public discourse, officials have called for cooperation with neighboring states and international partners to manage irregular migration flows and reinforce border resilience. [Source: national policy briefings, corroborated by official statements]