"A clear signal to Moscow and Beijing": Finnish Prime Minister calls on the EU to show that it supports Ukraine

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, upon arrival at the EU summit, said that no blackmail should be accepted and that the EU should show that it supports Ukraine, UNN reports citing Politico.

What we decide or what we don't decide is a clear signal to Moscow, Kyiv, Washington and Beijing,

According to The Guardian, the Finnish prime minister said the summit would be "very important".

"We need strong decisions here. We need to show our unity. The situation in Ukraine is difficult, so we need three decisions. First, regarding the EPF (European Peace Fund), we need a multi-year decision on this - they need quick military assistance. Second, we need a decision on the [EU budget], a 50-billion-dollar instrument to help Ukraine. And thirdly, we need a decision on enlargement. We need a clear signal to all states that want to be members of the Union that we are ready to negotiate. And we must decide to start negotiations," Orpo said.

He also emphasized that "the threat of Russia is real - that's why we have to develop our defense industry".

Orpo said he was ready for talks and that discussions would continue "as long as it takes." The priority should be "security and our existence as a reliable alliance," he said.

On the European Commission's decision to unblock €10 billion in funding for Hungary, Orpo was harsh - just as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is ready to veto Ukraine's EU accession talks, Politico notes .

"We cannot accept any blackmail, we must find a solution together," he said. "The Commission has to do its job and decide carefully what it does. But we cannot compromise on the rule of law," Orpo said.

To recap,

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban showed no signs of being ready to compromise on Ukraine's EU accession when he arrived at the summit on Thursday morning.