The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, praised "Finnish preparedness" during a visit to the eastern border region on Friday morning.
Von der Leyen met with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) in the city of Lappeenranta, and also visited a border checkpoint on Finland's frontier with Russia.
"We should be more Finnish when it comes to security," von der Leyen said at a joint press conference following the meeting. "We have a lot to learn from Finland, and from the model of Finnish preparedness, across all levels of society. It allows you to respond adequately to different types of crises and this is what makes a society truly resilient."
She further noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "focusing on Finland" — in response to Finnish support for Ukraine and decision to join Nato — and cited as an example Russia's use of instrumentalised migration.
"Finland has acted decisively and effectively to counter this threat. This is not just about the security of Finland, but it's about the security of the European Union. We are in this together," von der Leyen said.
In response to a reporter's question about the possibility of updated EU legislation to tackle the phenomenon of instrumentalised migration, Orpo said that both Finland and the EU need to find ways to prevent Russia from using the flow of asylum seekers against member states.
"We have to prepare these reforms very carefully to find the balance between human rights and security," Orpo stated.
The EU Commission president also mentioned the importance of an upcoming report by Finland's former president Sauli Niinistö on civilian and defence preparedness, which aims to provide a Finnish view on how Europe can become more crisis-resilient.
Ursula von der Leyen's joint press conference with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo can be watched from the video below
In addition to border security issues, von der Leyen and Orpo also discussed the economic effects of the current situation on Finland's eastern border region.
"I want to commend you for your unwavering support for Ukraine, and this despite the impact of the conflict on your jobs, your businesses, your families, your friends," von der Leyen said, adding that helping to revitalise these communities is a priority for the European Commission.
In response, Orpo noted that investment in the region has dried up due to the ongoing circumstances.
"Eastern Finland has suffered because of Russia. We need the European Union to help eastern Finland and other areas suffering because of Russian behaviour," he said.