EU external border countries face common security challenges both on land borders and in the Baltic Sea

Ministry of the Interior
Publication date 19.6.2025 14.30 | Published in English on 19.6.2025 at 15.07
Type:Press release

The interior ministers of Finland, Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Sweden will meet in Estonia on 19 and 20 June. The topics on their agenda include border issues and the situation in the Baltic Sea. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

“The threat of instrumentalised migration at Finland’s eastern border remains high and difficult to predict. For this reason, we will extend the validity of the so-called Border Security Act until the end of 2026. This act is essential for preventing attempts to exert pressure on Finland through the weaponisation of migrants,” says Rantanen.

This year, pressure from irregular migration at the EU's external border with Belarus has mainly focused on the Polish border. Since April, migration flows have also increased at the Latvian and Lithuanian borders.

“We have been discussing topical border security issues with key partner countries for several years now. We must strengthen bilateral border security assistance between our countries to manage challenging situations. Active participation in each other's border security exercises is also important,” says Rantanen.

The ministers will also discuss the situation in the Baltic Sea. In May, the Russian Baltic Sea fleet strengthened its presence and began regular patrols in the Gulf of Finland. The risk of damage to critical undersea infrastructure and environmental damage remains high.

“The situation in the Baltic Sea is increasingly tense. To manage it effectively, we need joint and coordinated action among the competent authorities of the key partner countries in the region,” says Minister Rantanen.

Inquiries:
Laura Yli-Vakkuri, Director General, tel. +358 40 720 2216, firstname.lastname@gov.fi