Secretary General: Finland did not ask NATO to strengthen its presence because of the situation on the border

11/28/2023, 5:07:09 PM

Highlights: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Finland did not ask NATO to increase the bloc's presence in the country. He said this during a press conference following the first day of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the alliance countries in Brussels. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that the Finnish authorities were closing all checkpoints on the border with Russia for asylum seekers until December 13. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said the decision of Finnish authorities to close the border will harm Finnish citizens.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Finland did not ask NATO to increase the bloc's presence in the country because of the situation on the border with Russia.

He said this during a press conference following the first day of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the alliance countries in Brussels.

"There have been no requests to increase NATO's presence," TASS quoted Stoltenberg as saying.

Earlier, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that the Finnish authorities were closing all checkpoints on the border with Russia for asylum seekers until December 13.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that the decision of the Finnish authorities to close the border with Russia will harm Finnish citizens.