FILE PHOTO: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks during the political festival Atreju, organised by Meloni's Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d'Italia) right-wing party, in Rome, Italy, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca/File Photo
SAARISELKA, Finland (Reuters) - Illegal immigration is a security threat for the European Union and the bloc must protect its borders from the threat posed in this respect by Russia and criminal organisations, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Sunday.
"Tackling the issue of illegal immigration solely on a solidarity basis debate was a mistake in my opinion," Meloni told a press conference after an EU summit on security in Finland.
"The result is that we have been unable to protect our borders ... We want to defend our external borders and we will not allow Russia or criminal organisations to undermine our security."
(Reporting by Anne Kauranen; Writing by Valentina Za; Editing by Louise Heavens)
