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EU to allocate 170 million euros to six countries bordering Russia and Belarus

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EU to allocate 170 million euros to six countries bordering Russia and Belarus
European Commissioner President Ursula von der Leyen holds a press conference during a European Union summit in Brussels, Belgium, on March 23, 2023. (John Thys / AFP via Getty Images)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced 170 million euros ($178 million) in financial support for six European countries bordering Russia and Belarus to bolster their border protection efforts.

This announcement followed her discussion with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

“Finland, alongside the Baltic countries, Poland, and Norway, is courageously protecting our borders from threats of all forms coming from Russia and Belarus,” von der Leyen wrote on X.

Finland closed its border with Russia in late November 2023, and the Finnish government decided to keep the border with Russia closed "until further notice," in April 2024.

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania agreed in January 2024 to build a Baltic defense line in the coming years, to strengthen the eastern border with Belarus and Russia.

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Sonya Bandouil

North American news editor

Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC. Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.

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