Finland convenes Eastern Flank summit

Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has invited the leaders of seven EU member states to an Eastern Flank summit in Helsinki on December 16 to discuss defense readiness and threats to European security, especially on the EU's eastern border.

The Finnish government stated this in a press release on its website, according to Ukrinform.

It is noted that the one-day Eastern Flank summit will be held for the first time, and the prime ministers of Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, and Bulgaria, as well as the presidents of Romania and Lithuania, will participate.

According to 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," Orpo said.

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

As reported by Ukrinform, the leaders of the Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8) published a joint statement after a conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky, emphasizing their support for Ukraine and its efforts aimed at achieving peace.

Photo: Freepik/slon.pics