![\"Mitsotakis](\"https:\/\/www.ekathimerini.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/4506937-1-320x200.jpg?v=1734858180\")
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis highlighted the critical importance of safeguarding the EU\u2019s borders during a press conference following the North-South Summit on on European security and defense, on Sunday in Lapland, Finland.<\/p>\n
The summit was attended by Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was highly instructive for us to understand the particular issues Finland is facing in terms of managing a 1300 km border with Russia,\u201d emphasized Mitsotakis, adding that \u201cborder protection is an integral part of our migration strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI 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 make it more effective for us to manage our borders,\u201d stated Mitsotakis.<\/p>\n
Mitsotakis also said that there is a common understanding of the need to allocate more resources for defense at both the national and European levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to explore all means in terms of how we will collectively foster our European defense,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the Prime Minister announced that an extraordinary European Council meeting will be convened in February to address challenges in defense and security.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe still need to convince our transatlantic partner that we take our own security seriously,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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