EU leaders to meet in Helsinki for Eastern Flank Summit – discussions to focus on security

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has invited the leaders of seven EU Member States to the Eastern Flank Summit in Helsinki on 16 December. The meeting will focus on threats to European security and defence readiness, especially at the EU’s eastern border.

The one-day Eastern Flank Summit is being held for the first time. Prime Ministers Ulf Kristersson (Sweden), Kristen Michal (Estonia), Evika Siliņa (Latvia), Donald Tusk (Poland) and Rossen Jeliazkov (Bulgaria) and Presidents Nicușor Dan (Romania) and Gitanas Nausėda (Lithuania) will take part in the summit.

According to Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, the summit will give the leaders an excellent opportunity for in-depth discussions on security threats. At the same time, the countries on Europe’s eastern flank will be able to further deepen their cooperation on defence and border management.

“Countries that share a border with Russia face common security challenges. We have recently seen an increase in hybrid operations, cyberattacks and airspace violations. Europe must further strengthen its defence at the border with Russia,” said Prime Minister Orpo.

The Eastern Flank Summit in Helsinki comes ahead of the European Council in Brussels later this week.

Prime Minister Orpo also invited EU leaders to Finland last year: In December 2024, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson met for discussions under the polar night in Saariselkä, Lapland.

Inquiries: Tuomas Tikkanen, Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister in European Affairs, tel. +358 40 523 5768, Juuso Kilpinen, Special Adviser for EU Affairs, tel. +358 50 322 9636 and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office