Prime Minister Orpo and European Council President-elect Costa emphasise determination to overcome challenges facing Europe

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and President-elect of the European Council Antonio Costa met in Helsinki on Tuesday 8 October. In their meeting, they discussed the EU strategic agenda for 2024–2029 and Finland’s objectives for the current EU parliamentary term.

Other topics of discussion included improving the Union’s strategic competitiveness, security and defence issues, support for Ukraine, promoting a clean transition through the bioeconomy and circular economy, and upholding the rule of law. When discussing the EU’s future financing solutions, the Prime Minister highlighted Finland’s view that the instruments within the EU budget should be used as efficiently as possible to respond to new challenges, too. 

“The European Union is facing unprecedented challenges in the current parliamentary term, but there are also solutions to them. In this work, the European Council plays a key role as the body responsible for setting the EU’s policy agenda. I am confident that President-elect Costa will work efficiently for a united, stronger and more prosperous Union,” says Prime Minister Orpo.

The discussions emphasised the importance of supporting Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s brutal and illegal war of aggression. Prime Minister Orpo also briefed President-elect Costa on the situation at Finland’s closed eastern border. In this situation, it is essential to take into account that safeguarding the vitality of the region is a security issue for the entire Union.
 
“Supporting Ukraine is also part of supporting Europe’s own security and preparedness. The EU must provide its strong and comprehensive support for Ukraine for as long as necessary. We in the EU need a systematic and long-term plan for supporting Ukraine, and we need to be faster and more efficient in delivering our support,” Prime Minister Orpo says.

Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa is due to begin his term as President of the European Council on 1 December 2024. Before the beginning of his term, he will meet all the members of the European Council in the member state capitals.

Inquiries: Tuomas Tikkanen, Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister in European Affairs, tel. +358 40 523 5768, Elisa Tarkiainen, Special Adviser (EU Affairs), tel. +358 50 433 4533, and Lauri Heikkinen, Senior Communications Specialist, tel. +358 46 923 5090, Prime Minister’s Office