Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs discusses informal European Council

Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs discusses informal European Council

In its meeting on Thursday 22 January, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs discussed the informal European Council, economic support for Ukraine and military mobility.

The members of the European Council will hold an informal meeting on Thursday evening in Brussels, where discussions will focus on transatlantic relations. Strengthening international law and the rules-based international system is a top priority for Finland. Finland supports Denmark's and the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination. Strengthening Arctic security in Greenland and elsewhere in the Arctic region together with our allies is of the utmost importance for Finland. Maintaining and deepening the transatlantic relationship is essential in order to develop political, commercial and economic relations, strengthen European security and respond to global challenges. It is especially important for Finland that the EU act as a united front and work to resolve the situation primarily through negotiations.

In its meeting, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs outlined Finland's positions on the proposals put forth by the European Commission on 14 January to ensure continued financial support to Ukraine in 2026 and 2027. The main proposal concerns the decision taken at the European Council on 18 December 2025 to provide a loan totalling EUR 90 billion to Ukraine based on EU borrowing on the capital markets backed by the EU budget headroom. The ministerial committee's position will be made public once it has been discussed in a government session.

The Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs also outlined Finland's positions on enhancing military mobility in the EU. The aim of the European Commission's November 2025 communication and proposal for a regulation is to create an EU-wide military mobility area where troops and equipment can move around quickly and smoothly. The proposal would remove barriers to mobility and harmonise procedures at the EU level. Financial issues will be decided on separately as part of the financial framework. Improving military mobility will strengthen Finland's defence capabilities. The ministerial committee's position will be made public once it has been discussed in a government session.

Inquiries: Tuomas Tikkanen, Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister in European Affairs, tel. +358 40 523 5768, Minna Kivimäki, State Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 431 and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister's Office