EU allocates €170 million to six countries for border protection against Russia and Belarus

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has announced financial support for six European countries bordering Russia and Belarus to bolster their efforts in border protection.

The Commission President emphasised that Finland, along with the Baltic states, Poland, and Norway, is courageously defending EU borders against all forms of threats originating from Russia and Belarus.

"They are securing our common borders. So today we’re making available €170 million to support their efforts," Von der Leyen wrote on X (Twitter) after a conversation with Finnish PM Petteri Orpo. 

I just spoke to @PetteriOrpo.

Finland, alongside 🇪🇪🇱🇻🇱🇹🇵🇱🇳🇴, is bravely keeping our borders safe from threats of all forms coming from Russia and Belarus.

They are securing our common borders. So today we’re making available €170 million to support their efforts.

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– Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) December 11, 2024

Earlier this year, the defence ministers of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania approved the creation of a joint Baltic defence zone along the eastern border shared with Russia and Belarus.

Additionally, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have urged the European Union to establish a defensive line along the border with Russia and Belarus.

Finland’s land border with Russia has been closed almost completely since 30 November 2023. This measure was introduced to counter an artificial migration crisis that began to escalate in the summer of 2023.