Prime Minister Orpo to attend informal European Council – transatlantic relations on the agenda

Prime Minister Orpo to attend informal European Council - transatlantic relations on the agenda

The members of the European Council will hold an informal meeting on Thursday 22 January. Discussions will focus on recent developments in transatlantic relations and their effects on the European Union. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will represent Finland at the meeting.

According to Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, citizens are understandably concerned about the situation.

"The European Union needs to be prepared and stay strong. Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations. We need to find solutions together with our allies. The EU must remain united and decide on countermeasures if necessary," said Prime Minister Orpo.

The meeting was convened this week by President of the European Council António Costa. The EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday evening for an informal dinner. The meeting will begin with a discussion with President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola.

Earlier this week, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement expressing their full support for the people of Greenland. The countries stressed their commitment to upholding the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Inquiries: Tuomas Tikkanen, Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister in European Affairs, tel. +358 40 523 5768, Elisa Tarkiainen, Special Adviser for EU Affairs, +358 50 595 7751 and Lauri Heikkinen, Senior Communications Specialist, tel. +358 46 923 5090, Prime Minister's Office