Europe must help Ukraine prevail to tackle Russia’s existential threat - Finland PM

Europe must finally wake up, get rid of all pessimism, and resolutely help Ukraine so that it can win the war against Russian aggression, and thus remove the Russian threat from all of Europe.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo of Finland stated this in an address to the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Russia continues to commit war crimes in Ukraine, it has switched to a war economy. Russia is evidently preparing for a long conflict with the West and represents a permanent and existential military threat to Europe. If we, as a united Europe, fail to respond efficiently to this challenge, the coming years will be filled with danger and the looming threat of attack. We must boost our support to Ukraine now for it to win this war, and at the same time enhance our own defense capabilities and the capability to defend ourselves," said the head of the Finnish government.

He noted that European leaders currently have an important task to put aside any pessimism and demonstrate exemplary leadership in helping Ukraine and strengthening their own defense capabilities. "It’s high time for us to wake up," Orpo said, addressing all Europeans.

The Finnish government head believes one of the components of such support should be efforts to help Ukraine advance along the European path, since in the current conditions, EU enlargement is a geopolitical necessity and a matter of security. Ukraine has demonstrated its ability to defend itself, and the resolve of the people of Ukraine to repel Russian aggression remains high. The resilience and determination of Ukrainians became a huge challenge for the Russian interests, he stressed.

"Supporting Ukraine is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic necessity. The cost of Russian military success would far exceed the investment required to support Ukraine. Imagine what will happen next if Russia succeeds. I say that every euro spent on Ukraine today is a low price compared to the alternative cost if Russia wins," Orpo emphasized.

He noted that the EU has already done a lot to this end, but more needs to be done. Ukraine is courageously fighting off the aggressor, and it deserves a just and lasting peace on its own terms, Orpo said, adding that the European Union has the necessary resources to support Ukraine in this battle. The joint decision on the creation of the Ukraine Facility for 2024-2027, worth EUR 50 billion, made on the level of all 27 countries was an important achievement, according to the Finnish leader, who said the next step should be to increase ammunition output, allocate additional funding for the European Peace Facility, and create a fund to support Ukraine within it, as quickly as possible.

Petteri Orpo noted that Finland is doing its part and has already boosted domestic ammunition production. The Finnish prime minister called on all member states to do the same.

"It is crucial to recognize that Russia's military capabilities are limited despite its attempts to hide this fact. Russia is not invincible. We can overcome this challenge if we pool our resources together. We have the financial means, now we need to demonstrate our political commitment. Self-satisfaction is no longer an option. Our collective future depends on our ability to recognize and counteract the threats posed by an aggressive and militarist Russia," added the Prime Minister of Finland.

As reported earlier, after Russia went for a full-scale incursion into Ukraine, two traditionally neutral Scandinavian nations, Finland and Sweden, joined NATO. After Finland joined the Alliance, Russia began to threaten the neighboring country with "military measures" and intensified hybrid attacks, including by creating an artificial migration crisis on the Russian-Finnish border.