A group of European Union countries closest to Russia will start working next week on concrete measures to strengthen the bloc's defense. This was stated by Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, writes UNN.
Details
In a radio interview with the state broadcaster YLE, Orpo said that the Eastern Flank summit he is convening in Helsinki on Tuesday aims to agree on cooperation in defense building and to form a common position within the EU. The meeting will be attended by the leaders of Sweden, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Bulgaria.
Russia is a threat today, tomorrow, and in the long future. The greatest pressure is exerted on the eastern outskirts of Europe
Leaders aim to "send a clear signal to Brussels" to obtain funding. Initially, about 1.5 billion euros have been allocated for pilot projects, but in the next multi-year EU budget (from 2027), defense funds could reach 135 billion. The group plans to apply for these funds to strengthen the eastern flank, including improving border security, air defense, drone detection, and ground forces development.