Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto warns of influx of refugees from Afghanistan if Taliban gains ground

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto (Greens) warns that the number of Afghan refugees in Europe will rise if the Taliban can strengthen their positions.

– If the Taliban expand and consolidate their power in the country, and people’s lives become even harder, it is possible that in Europe we will see a new stream of refugees, – Haavisto said on the Yle Ykkösaamu program.

According to Haavisto, refugees will be able to get to Europe through Turkey.

Haavisto on the crisis on the border of Belarus and Lithuania: Lukashenko is trying to tease the EU

The Foreign Minister also commented in an interview with Yle the situation on the border of Lithuania and Belarus. According to the Finnish Foreign Ministry, 1,200 migrants have already arrived in Lithuania, mainly from the Middle East.

Haavisto believes that behind this lies a realized threat to Lukashenko , who earlier promised that if the EU imposes sanctions on his country, then retaliatory measures will follow.

– This is a hybrid operation aimed at teasing the EU and influencing border security, Haavisto said.