By BRUSSELS. Dec 14 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is convinced that leaders must decide to start negotiations on membership with Ukraine, since any decision will be a signal to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Washington.
He said this before the start of the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday.
“What we decide or what we don’t decide will be a clear signal to Moscow, Kyiv, Washington and Beijing. Therefore, we must make a decision that we support Ukraine,” the Prime Minister of Finland said.
According to him, the current meeting “will be very important.” “I’m ready to negotiate. It will take as long as it takes. I have one main point – our security and our existence as a reliable Union. We need strong decisions here. We have to show our unity,” Orpo said.
In detail, the Finnish Prime Minister noted that “three decisions are needed” regarding Ukraine. “First on EPF [European Peace Facility], they [Ukrainians] need fast military assistance. Secondly, we need solution on budget, EUR 50 billion to help Ukraine. And thirdly, we need decision on enlargement. We need clear signal to all states who want to be the member of the Union that are ready to negotiate. We have to decide to start negotiations,” he said.
