Prime Minister Orpo highlights need for drone wall and calls for solidarity in the interest of security in meeting with Defence Commissioner Kubilius

Prime Minister Orpo highlights need for drone wall and calls for solidarity in the interest of security in meeting with Defence Commissioner Kubilius

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo met for discussions with European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius in Helsinki on Friday 26 September. Prime Minister Orpo and Defence Commissioner Kubilius discussed the plans to develop a drone wall and efforts to strengthen the EU's common defence more broadly.

"I highlighted Finland's views on our priorities for developing the drone wall. We were both in agreement that the drone wall should be built soon," said Prime Minister Orpo.

"We are moving at a good pace - the planning is already underway, and the Defence Commissioner's visit to Finland sends a concrete message that our vision and expertise are needed. The EU heads of state and government will continue their discussions next week at the informal European Council, and I intend to keep this topic high on the agenda there, too," Prime Minister Orpo said.

In his talks with Defence Commissioner Kubilius, Prime Minister Orpo stressed the need for solidarity in the interest of security.

"By this I mean that we in Finland, together with the Baltic States and Poland, are defending all of Europe from here at its eastern border. It is here that we most need solidarity in the interest of security. I believe this is also understood elsewhere in Europe," said Prime Minister Orpo.

In her annual State of the Union Address on 10 September, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the need to set up a drone wall at the Union's eastern border as part of the Eastern Flank Watch initiative.

While in Helsinki, Commissioner Andrius Kubilius also met with Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen.

Inquiries: Juuso Kilpinen, Special Adviser for EU Affairs, tel. +358 50 322 9636 and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister's Office