Recently Finland decided to extend its border closure with Russia until 11th February 2024 amid its recent re opening of the border which has supposed to happen on the 15th of January 2024, this move might ignite geopolitical and security concerns. Finland and Russia were once in amicable ties but with the recent invasion of Russia in the Ukraine, it has led Finland to make a drastic decision to close all eight borders crossing with Russia in order to stabilize and control the influx of immigrants who are predominantly from African countries like Somalia, Kenya, Morrocco and also Middle East.
The Finland government claims that this is Russia’s retaliation for the country’s decision to Join with The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and also the recent bilateral agreement with The United States of America, because late last year Moscow was trying to encourage asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants to cross over the Finnish border. This of course led to the increasing tensions between the two countries, and by deciding to prolong the border closure for another month Finland is clearly sending a message that it’s ready to secure and protect its border by any means necessary.
During December of last year Finland entered a bilateral agreement with The US concerning defence co-operation. This agreement demonstrates a larger commitment between the two countries, it was agreed that America will station its troops and store their weapons near the border to heighten defence and security. The cooperation of the two countries represents a strategic alignment displaying a common vision for regional stability and a commitment to confronting security concerns together. It emphasizes Finland’s responsibility in contributing to the larger security, particularly given its geopolitical location with a large border next to Russia.
Another motivation that led Finland to extend its border closure is connected with the influx of immigrants that were over 300 in just two days when they briefly opened its borders on the 15th of December of last year. With this nature of threat, Finland decided to take precautionary measures anticipating that something similar to this might happen again when they open their borders so soon. With such anticipation it is crucial for them to look at the sensitivity of the situation and maintain a balance between security and humanitarian concerns that might arise.
Finland again decided to take it a step further and construct a fence that is 200km long which is expected to be unveiled in 2026. This step shows Finland’s commitment to protect and control the multifaceted nature of its border security. One might argue that this construction of the fence is necessary in order to control of migration and to protect the country from national security concerns, especially if there are genuine concerns of potential threats. However, others might argue that the building of the fence might have a strain in future diplomatic relationship between the countries and other countries as well. Also, the building of the fence might also cause asylum seekers who are truly looking for safety and protection not to have the desired help.
Finland’s recent decision to extend its border closure is a complicated response to a more complicated web of geopolitical developments, security risks, and suspicions of involvement. As the world witnesses this trend, it becomes clear that navigating these difficult times necessitates a delicate balance between national security imperatives and the intricacies of diplomatic relations. As the geopolitical environment evolves, the implications of this accord will surely affect the fragile balance of power in Northern Europe. The creation of a physical barrier complicates this multilayered narrative, necessitating a careful examination of its consequences on both the national as well as the global level.
By The European Institute for International Law and International Relations.
References
Al Jazeera. (2024, January 11). Finland extends border closure with Russia until February 11. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/11/finland-extends-border-closure-with-russia-until-february-11
Finland to extend Russia border closing | reuters. (2024, January 10). https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/finland-extend-russia-border-closing-daily-iltalehti-reports-2024-01-10/
Tanner, J. (2024, January 11). Finland extends closure of Russian border for another month, fearing a migrant influx. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/finland-russia-border-migrants-european-union-ba312bd3fbd33c63cedc51df1b75aa9e
By The European Institute for International Law and International Relations
