PM for strengthening EU, stronger support to Ukraine

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Wednesday underscored the importance of strengthening the Union internally, securing its borders and providing stronger support to Ukraine for the future of Europe.

“We have returned to the very fundaments of European integration: promoting peace and defending our values. The ongoing war in Ukraine is not just a conflict on our continent’s borders; it is a stark reminder of the fragility of our peace,” said Orpo at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Orpo’s speech focused especially on two themes: strengthening the EU’s strategic competitiveness and improving comprehensive security.

The Prime Minister described how Finland has rightly been recognised as a superpower of preparedness and offered to share Finland’s experiences of comprehensive security.

“We have developed comprehensive strategies that cover all sectors of society, from public to private. Our approach to preparedness includes not only physical defences but also societal resilience, which is critical in facing both conventional and hybrid threats,” the Premier said, adding that Finland’s model of preparedness could offer valuable lessons for the European Union as a whole.

Prime Minister Orpo also stressed the need to increase and speed up the provision of military support to Ukraine and said that there is no room for pessimism.

“Russia is evidently preparing for a long conflict with the West, and represents a permanent and existential military threat to Europe. If we, as a united Europe, fail to respond sufficiently to this challenge, the coming years will be filled with danger and the looming threat of attack,” he added.

Earlier on the day, Orpo had a meeting with President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola where he emphasised that especially in the current security situation, it is important for the European Parliament to work swiftly in appointing the next President of the Commission after the European Parliament elections this summer.

On Tuesday, Orpo met with Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean and highlighted Finnish transport projects applying for EU support, which are also important for security of supply.

Tuesday’s programme also included a meeting with Finnish MEPs, where discussions highlighted the desire to further intensify cooperation between MEPs and the Government.