Prime Minister Orpo in Copenhagen: “The EU has important new decisions on the horizon”

Prime Minister Orpo in Copenhagen: "The EU has important new decisions on the horizon"

The leaders of the EU Member States met in Copenhagen on Wednesday 1 October to discuss continued support for Ukraine and measures to strengthen European defence, including the drone wall.

The meeting was the first time the EU heads of state or government discussed the Commission's initiative to mobilise further Russian assets to support Ukraine. The main idea is to secure Ukraine's financing for the coming years with a loan issued against the immobilised assets. Importantly, repayment of the loan would not take place until Ukraine has received reparations from Russia after the end of the war.

"I am very pleased that the Commission has taken the initiative to make further use of the immobilised funds. This is what I have been proposing for years, and we have now found a solution. My colleagues and I had a very fruitful and important discussion today," said Prime Minister Orpo.

The discussion will continue at the meeting of the European Council at the end of October.

"We now have the momentum we need to move forward. It is essential that we succeed, both for Ukraine and for Europe as a whole. We need to put our words into action for the sake of Ukraine," said Prime Minister Orpo.

The informal meeting in Copenhagen also paved the way for discussions on another issue to be raised by the Council at the end of October: The EU leaders will be presenting a roadmap for defence, which will guide efforts to strengthen European defence by 2030. Based on preliminary information, key elements of the roadmap will include the Eastern Flank Watch and the European Drone Wall.

"These are key initiatives for Finland, and the fact that they are being prioritised shows that our advocacy has worked. Defending the eastern flank of the EU is now the main topic of discussion at EU negotiating tables. I stressed to my colleagues that Finland has shown solidarity in many areas for years. Now is the time to show solidarity with Eastern and Northern Europe, especially with regard to defence," said Prime Minister Orpo.

Before the start of the informal European Council, Prime Minister Orpo was briefed on how Finland is contributing to securing Danish airspace during the meetings of the Council and the European Political Community.

"I am very proud of the expertise and skills the Finns have brought here. This is a matter of common concern not just for Denmark and the Baltic Sea region but for all of Europe. It is great to see that Finland was able to respond to Denmark's request for assistance and send the kind of expertise that Denmark needed," said Prime Minister Orpo.

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 Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister's Office