Finland and France: EU’s common security and defence policy should be strengthened

Finland and France will want to develop the EU’s common security and defence policy, including closer cooperation between the EU and NATO. Finland and France issued a joint declaration in Paris today, when Prime Minister Juha Sipilä met with President François Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls.

‘We must strengthen defence co-operation within the European Union because the security situation both in our Eastern and Southern neighbourhood has changed. We, together with France, hope that there is common political will in the EU Member States to broaden cooperation from crisis management to protecting Europe and the Europeans’, said Prime Minister Sipilä in Paris.

Finland and France believe that a more strategic approach should be adopted in the EU’s relations with NATO.

’The June European Council and the NATO Warsaw Summit should create political momentum to further develop cooperation. Cooperation is important especially in the areas of maritime security, countering hybrid threats and supporting partners in training and exercises’, Sipilä observed.

Prime Minister Sipilä held discussions with the French leaders on other topical EU matters, such as action against terrorism, migration and Britain’s EU relations. Current economic questions in Finland and France were also addressed. 

Declaration (full text)

Inquiries: Jari Haapiainen, Special Adviser (EU Affairs), tel. +358 295 160 406 and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office