Minister of Defence Häkkänen to attend meeting of EU defence ministers

Finland's Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen will attend a meeting of the European Union's Foreign Affairs Council in its defence configuration in Brussels on 19 November 2024.

EU defence ministers will discuss the European Union's support to Ukraine as well as defence readiness and preparedness. They will be informed about the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC) and the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Strategic Review. EU defence ministers will be joined in the meeting by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Ukraine's Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov and Advisor to President Zelenskyy on Strategic Affairs Alexander Kamyshin will attend the meeting via videoconference.

"On Tuesday Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine has already lasted 1,000 days. There is no room for war-weariness. Supporting Ukraine is the greatest investment we can make in the security of Europe and Finland," Minister of Defence Häkkänen says.

Former President Sauli Niinistö will join the ministers for an exchange of views on defence readiness and preparedness. The Council will discuss President Niinistö's recent report "Safer Together - Strengthening Europe's Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness".

The European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board will meet in the configuration of defence ministers before the Council meeting. The Steering Board is to approve the EDA's budget for 2025 and its three-year plan for 2025-2027 and the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) report.

Inquiries: Annina Tikkanen, Senior Specialist (defence configuration of the Foreign Affairs Council), tel. +358 295 140 041 and Emma Virkkunen, Senior Specialist (communications), tel. +358 295 140 176.