Finland reinstates border checks for Trump-Putin summit

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland will reinstate border controls for travelers from Schengen countries for four days during a summit in Helsinki between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the government said on Friday. "The aim with this is to make sure that foreign nationals traveling to or from Finland fulfill the conditions for entry into or stay in the country as laid down by law and to identify persons who might pose a risk," the Ministry of the Interior said in a statement. Trump and Putin will meet in Helsinki on Monday, July 16 and several protests have been planned during their visit to Helsinki. The biggest one, billed as promoting the environment, peace, human rights and democracy, is scheduled for Sunday, the day Trump is expected to arrive. "Internal border controls... will be targeted at passengers in accordance with the threat and risk assessments made jointly by the internal security authorities," the ministry said. The move was expected. The checks will start at noon on Friday. The 26 European countries in the Schengen agreement allow free movement among them without identity checks. Finland last reinstated border controls for travelers from Schengen countries in 2008 for a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. (Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl, editing by Larry King)