“Greetings from Victor”, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (kok) says with a laugh. He has just finished his two-day conference in Budapest.
The summits are hosted by the Prime Minister of Hungary Victor Orbán whose pro-Russian policy and provocative statements have annoyed other EU leaders for a long time.
This time, according to the Finnish Prime Minister, Orbán behaved “well compared to expectations”, although he brought up different views from other leaders in his own press conferences.
Orbán opposes arms aid to Ukraine and believes that Trump can quickly start ceasefire talks with Putin.
Orbán’s idiosyncratic line is indicated, among other things, by the fact that he interpreted the mood of the EU leaders at the Budapest meeting to mean that more and more European leaders now support peace in Ukraine.
Orpo does not accept his colleague’s interpretation.
“After all, we all want peace, but it has to happen so that Ukraine is stronger in those negotiations. That’s why supporting Ukraine cannot be stopped or reduced under any circumstances,” says Orpo.
Zelenskyi was frustrated
The President of Ukraine also participated in the meeting of the European Political Community held on Thursday Volodymyr Zelenskyiwho vented his post-meeting frustrations at X by stating that Ukraine needs air defenses, arms packages and sanctions against Russia.
“These are the actions that are needed – not just words,” Zelenskyi said.
Orpo understands the troubles of the Ukrainian president, because “the situation on the front is difficult, and there is concern about the continuation and level of US support.”
However, Orpo assures that support for Ukraine will continue. At the same time, he hopes that certain EU countries would support Ukraine bilaterally more than at present.
“The Nordic countries are doing really exemplary work, but there are countries that have a lot to shake off,” says Orpo.
In the EU, the eastern and northern EU countries, which know Russia’s danger, have supported Ukraine in particular. On the other hand, in the west and south, other concerns are emphasized more than Ukraine.
Orpo says that he emphasized at the heads of state dinner that we are now in a situation that has been talked about for a long time and the situation became a reality when Trump was elected.
“Europe must take greater responsibility both for supporting Ukraine and for its own defense,” Orpo emphasizes.
According to him, the overwhelming majority of European countries agree on how to act if support for Ukraine decreases.
More specifics
Negotiations.
According to Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, the leaders of the EU countries discussed the situation in Ukraine and the world in an exceptionally frank manner in Budapest.
PHOTO: Alexandros Michailidis, European Union
According to Orpo, the commission’s new work program and future budget must be concrete in order to strengthen European defense.
“I didn’t get an answer to when these shows could be brought, but yes, this need is now known,” says Orpo.
However, the actions described by the prime minister are not a quick remedy if the United States starts reducing its military aid to Ukraine at the beginning of next year, or forces Ukraine to peace on unfavorable terms.
The lackluster reactions of the EU and NATO to the joining of North Korean troops to the Russian front have also aroused surprise: First, the situation was described as a sign of Russian desperation, then there was talk of an escalation of the war and a red line, but so far no countermeasures of any kind have been taken in Russia’s direction.
“I would say that yes, this issue is certainly on all Western planning and deliberation tables at the moment,” Orpo commented.
The lure of Trump
However, North Korea’s joining the Russian front may act as a way for the EU and NATO to entice Trump to support Ukraine.
Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte emphasized in Budapest that the US will have to pay a heavy price if it abandons Ukraine.
According to Rutte, Russia is handing over missile technology know-how to North Korea, which benefits Iran and China, which belong to the same “axis of evil”, which in turn threaten peace in the Pacific Ocean and the Middle East, which is important to the United States.
Because of this, in Rutte’s opinion, Europe and the United States must find each other and support Ukraine.
The Secretary General of NATO said in Budapest that he intends to talk about this fateful connection with Trump.
The EU countries’ strategy is also to make Trump understand the importance of transatlantic cooperation both in defense and in the economy.
According to Orpo, many EU leaders have already called Trump and said that the discussions were constructive.
“I think it’s important to know that the connection with Trump has started well and on a wide front.”
Orpo considers the Budapest meeting also an achievement that the EU leaders had a “rare direct discussion about supporting Ukraine and the importance of European defense”.
Too slow
The prime minister admits that he is frustrated by the slowness of the EU.
“When I’m a bit impatient or pragmatic myself, I can’t wait for solution proposals, but this was an unofficial summit, so honestly speaking, they shouldn’t have come here.”
“In general, I’m disappointed that decision-making is always slow. Especially in a situation where you can see that you have to move forward,” says Orpo.
According to the Prime Minister, however, Trump’s election has acted as a wake-up call, also in those EU countries where “war fatigue” has been instilled in the past.
“A new period of concern arose from the election results in the United States and how Russia has progressed on the Ukrainian front,” says Orpo.
He believes that the joint situational picture will still turn into action.
According to Orpo, quick solutions are now needed in order to make use of the income from the European Peace Fund and Russia’s frozen funds, because Ukraine must receive the promised 50 billion euros by the end of this year.
New debt?
Colleagues.
The prime ministers of Finland and Hungary shook hands at the Budapest summit.
PHOTO: Vivien Cher Benko, European Union
New means are also needed to support Ukraine and strengthen the European defense industry. In this context, a new joint debt has been settled.
“I won’t take a position on it yet, but when we start talking about bigger needs, we have to start negotiating how to finance them”.
“It may be that we still have this discussion both at home and in Europe,” the prime minister continues.
According to Orpo, it’s about existential issues.
“This is about the security of Finland and Europe, and the money must be found for this, regardless of where it comes from.
It can be interpreted from Orpo’s answer that he does not rule out joint debt to strengthen the defense or to help Ukraine.
“I don’t take a position on that yet,” says Orpo.
How do you justify to the Finns that more money is constantly being used to help Ukraine and strengthen Europe’s defense, even though cuts are being made everywhere else?
“Finns do understand that this is about the security of Finland and Europe as far as Ukraine is concerned, and that Ukrainians are fighting for our values and security as well,” concludes Orpo.