Prime Minister Katainen met US political leaders in Washington D.C.

On Wednesday 6 June, Prime Minister Katainen met the US economic leaders in Washington D.C. The discussions with Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner and Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke focused on the management of the euro crisis and the economic situation in the United States.

"Resolving the economic challenges faced by the United States requires smooth political decision-making and readiness to compromise. The United States has dealt with the banking crisis starting in 2008 with great skill. We in Europe could learn from the US experience in managing such crises. Both Geithner and Bernanke expressed very clearly their deep concern at the economic situation in Europe. Their main worry is that the healthy European banks may suffer as a result of the problems created by the weaker banks, and even collapse due to lack of capital," said Prime Minister Katainen.

"The Americans would like Europe to integrate even more but, at the same time, it should be necessary to separate the risks of the banking sector from those faced by individual countries."

On Thursday 7 June, Prime Minister Katainen's will continue his visit to Washington D.C. with a meeting with the US Vice President Joe Biden.

Inquiries: Kari Mokko, Director of Government Communications, Government Communications Unit, tel. +358 40 751 3281