By Anne Kauranen
SAARISELKA, Finland (Reuters) – Russian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed concerns on Sunday that Russia could pose a significant threat to European Union security beyond defense measures, citing the potential for Moscow to exploit illegal immigration and other issues to undermine the bloc.
During a meeting in Finland’s Lapland region, leaders from Italy, Sweden, and Greece, along with the EU foreign affairs chief, gathered to discuss security in the Nordic region and the Mediterranean, as well as the challenges posed by migration in southern Europe.
Meloni, leading a conservative government, emphasized the need to recognize the broader scope of the threat posed by Russia, suggesting that the danger to EU security from Russia or other sources would persist even after the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine.
“We have to understand the threat is much wider than we imagine,” Meloni stated at a press conference while addressing the issue of Russia.
She highlighted the multifaceted nature of the threat, encompassing aspects such as democratic integrity, influence on public opinion, developments in Africa, access to raw materials, and the manipulation of migration. Meloni stressed the necessity for the EU to adopt more robust measures to safeguard its borders and prevent external entities, including Russia and criminal organizations, from controlling illegal migrant flows.
Several EU member states, including Finland and Estonia, have accused Russia of facilitating the entry of illegal migrants from the Middle East and other regions into EU countries via Russia without appropriate scrutiny, thereby compromising the EU’s security. Moscow has refuted allegations of intentionally funneling illegal migrants into the EU.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo emphasized the critical importance of securing Finland’s 1,340-km border with Russia, characterizing it as an existential imperative for Finland as well as other EU members and NATO allies.
Meloni criticized the EU’s historical approach to immigration, arguing that framing the issue solely in terms of burden-sharing was a flawed strategy. She contended that this approach had ultimately left the EU vulnerable by failing to protect its external borders adequately.
“NATO remains the cornerstone of EU security,” Meloni affirmed, while underscoring the need for the bloc to confront broader challenges beyond traditional defense paradigms.
She articulated that security encompassed safeguarding critical infrastructure, advancing artificial intelligence capabilities, enhancing cybersecurity measures, securing access to raw materials, fortifying supply chains, formulating a more effective foreign policy, fostering cooperation, and addressing migration concerns.
(Reporting by Anne Kauranen; Writing by Valentina Za; Editing by Louise Heavens and Susan Fenton)
