Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasised the vital importance of protecting the European Union’s borders during a press conference held after the North-South Summit on European security and defence on Sunday in Lapland, Finland.
The summit brought together Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
“It was highly instructive for us to understand the particular issues Finland is facing in terms of managing a 1,300 km border with Russia,” Mitsotakis stated, noting that “border protection is an integral part of our migration strategy.”
The Greek Prime Minister called for additional European funding to enhance border management and infrastructure.
“I would like to reiterate from Lapland the necessity to provide additional funding at the European level, not just for border management but also for the physical construction that makes it more effective for us to manage our borders,” he said.
Mitsotakis also pointed to a shared understanding among leaders regarding the need to bolster defence spending both nationally and at the EU level.
Additionally, Mitsotakis announced plans for an extraordinary European Council meeting in February to address pressing issues related to defence and security.
“We still need to convince our transatlantic partner that we take our own security seriously,” he said.
Source: Ekathimerini
