Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) has said that Eastern and Northern European countries are safeguarding the rest of Europe from Russia and that other countries in the region should show solidarity with the nations providing that protective buffer.
"This is a matter that concerns all of Europe. For decades, we've demonstrated solidarity within the European Union on economic and many other issues, and now it's time to show solidarity, specifically towards Eastern and Northern Europe, when it comes to security," Orpo said as he arrived at an informal EU summit in Copenhagen on Wednesday.
Before attending the summit, Orpo visited a Danish military base and met with Finnish troops deployed on drone defence duties. On Tuesday, the Finnish defence ministry announced it was sending a drone defence unit to Denmark to secure the country's airspace.
The move came after a number of recent drone sightings near airports and military targets in Denmark and Norway, leading to some airport closures.
"I'm proud that Finnish experts are here. They're very welcome as part of a group of around 10 nations here to secure this summit, but also to show solidarity and support for Denmark," Orpo said.
The PM also said he felt that Europe was already close to being in a state of hybrid warfare.
'We must be ready'
"We've seen various hybrid attacks against the EU. We've seen illegal migrants at our borders, we've seen drones and missiles, we've seen cyberattacks and severed cables and gas pipelines. For these reasons, we must be better prepared than ever. We must be ready," Orpo said.
Orpo also reiterated his support for using Russian assets that have been frozen by the EU towards assisting Ukraine. He also called on the EU to strengthen its defence and make efforts in developing the defence industry.
"It is vital to find ways to support Ukraine even more. We need a robust and sustainable long-term package for Ukraine, and using frozen assets is a very good idea. I believe we should move forward on this," Orpo said.
Attendees of the informal summit are expected to discuss the so-called 'drone wall' to protect the block from drone incursions as proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Broader discussions at the meeting are also expected to include topics of Europe's collective defence and support for Ukraine.
The summit is to continue on Thursday, and will include a meeting of the European Political Community. Participants plan to focus on ways to strengthen Ukraine, Europe's general security situation as well as how to make the bloc more secure in the current geopolitical situation.
