European Council reaffirms support for strengthening European defence

European Council reaffirms support for strengthening European defence

The European Council agreed on further measures to strengthen European defence and security in its meeting on 23-24 October in Brussels. The EU heads of state or government also discussed the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine in the form of a reparations loan. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo represented Finland at the meeting.

According to Prime Minister Orpo, the Council held important discussions on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.

"Our support for Ukraine will continue. Importantly, the Commission will now be able to draw up a proposal based on our conclusions. The EU leaders will resume discussions on the matter at the December European Council as planned," Prime Minister Orpo said in Brussels.

"Ultimately, this is a question of Russia having to pay for the destruction it has caused in Ukraine," said Prime Minister Orpo.

The EU leaders pledged to strengthen European defence capabilities based on the Commission's Defence Readiness Roadmap 2023. The roadmap consists of flagship projects - the European Drone Defence Initiative, the Eastern Flank Watch, the European Air Shield and the European Space Shield - and their target timetables, as well as tools for monitoring military mobility and support for Ukraine.

"The Council's strong support for the Defence Readiness Roadmap is an important achievement for Finland, as the roadmap advances many of Finland's key priorities. Most importantly, the plans for developing European defence are based on the premise that Russia poses a persistent threat. This is something we have long been advocating for. The flagship projects focusing on defending the EU's eastern flank and countering drones are also very important for Finland," said Prime Minister Orpo.

EU Member States at eastern border to meet for summit in Finland

Prime Minister Orpo has invited the leaders of the EU Member States on the eastern edge of the Union to a summit in Finland. The Eastern Flank Summit will be held in Helsinki on 16 December. So far, the heads of state of the Baltic States, Bulgaria, Poland and Romania are expected to attend.

The summit will focus concretely on efforts to strengthen defence at the EU's eastern border in order to counter the threat from Russia.

The European Council adopted conclusions that will guide the EU towards simplifying regulation and reducing the administrative burden on businesses. The Commission is also invited to put forth new proposals to make it easier for businesses to operate. The discussion on competitiveness also touched on the EU's climate targets and the role of the twin green and digital transitions in boosting economic growth.

President of the European Council António Costa announced a special summit on competitiveness on 12 February 2026 in Belgium.

Other topics on the Council's agenda were the Middle East, migration and housing. The leaders held a Euro Summit over dinner in connection with the meeting. Topics addressed in the discussion on external relations included the situation in Moldova.

Inquiries: Tuomas Tikkanen, Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister in European Affairs, tel. +358 40 523 5768, Satu Keskinen, State Under-Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 302 and Marko Ruonala, Chief Communications Specialist, tel. +358 50 522 82 33, Prime Minister's Office.