Today at 01:03
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned that Russia poses a threat to the EU’s critical infrastructure, including undersea cables, and called for intensified measures against Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet.”
Speaking at a joint press conference with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo during her visit to Helsinki, von der Leyen underlined that Finland’s 1,300-kilometer border with Russia is also a border of the entire European Union:
“Finland has always lived next to a dangerous and unpredictable neighbor. But I want to assure you and Finland as a whole — this is not only Finland’s border, it is also Europe’s border. Its protection is our shared responsibility.”
She announced that the next EU budget will triple investments in migration and border management, with additional funding allocated to member states bordering Russia and Belarus.
Von der Leyen emphasized that Moscow has been probing vulnerabilities in EU infrastructure:
“We are witnessing serious damage to our critical networks, such as the EstLink 2 cable. And the ‘shadow fleet’ in the Baltic Sea continues to fuel Russia’s war economy. I am convinced we must strengthen our action against this fleet.”
During her visit, von der Leyen also inspected Finland’s patrol vessel Turva — the largest in the Finnish Border Guard fleet and the first powered by liquefied natural gas — calling it “a powerful symbol of Finland’s readiness.”
She stressed that Russia’s actions against Finland and other frontline EU states are challenges to the entire Union:
“When Finland is tested, our whole Union is tested. That is why, while strengthening Ukraine’s defense, we are also taking greater responsibility for reinforcing our own security.”
Von der Leyen is on a multi-day tour of the EU’s eastern flank aimed at bolstering solidarity and defense. After Latvia and Finland, she will continue to Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Romania.
