So, first of all, dear friends, I’m very glad that you are here with us today, on our National Flag Day, just before Ukraine’s Independence Day.
It’s very symbolic that we’re together today because, in fact, we have been together throughout every day of our defense during this challenging period, from the very beginning of this war.
The Nordic countries and Baltic states are among those who have stood with us most firmly and consistently – defending freedom, our nations, and our Europe.
All of you know very well what is happening now in Ukraine, and all the details, and what Russia is preparing for this autumn and what they are preparing, which is more important, for this winter. Ballistic missiles remain the key threat. We are doing everything possible to deal with it.
I am grateful to all of you who are working with us together on a new project – FREYJA program. I hope that we will have now opportunities with our teams during today’s discussion to know more details about this format, about this project. And we need progress every day with FREYJA – every week. We need our joint anti-ballistic defense to become effective. And, of course, we need it as soon as possible.
I also want to thank those of you who are helping us with missiles for air defense. This is our first priority under constant Russian attacks. Every missile means lives saved. Please continue this work. I'm thankful to all the countries who represent these big nations who are here for the PURL program. All of you helped us.
And there are new support packages. This is a very important signal – the new packages for Ukraine today. And I'm thankful, thank you for them.
I also want to highlight several priorities. I think it's important. I prepared the key messages about the priorities, and, of course, for open conversation, not in a very wide format, but then we can go into details.
Because of the way defense budgeting works, at the beginning of this year our government, the Ministry of Defense, used funds that had been planned for the end of the year. Much of this money went to buying more drones and covering other urgent defense needs. So now we have a significant funding gap.
One of the main ways to cover it, is to bring forward part of the European loan funding planned for next year and make it available this year. The total gap for today is 27 billion. Around 10 of this is needed to make sure our soldiers have weapons in January, February and March 2027. So we have to start now – to pay and to produce. Otherwise in January, February we will have nothing. I mean, we will have, but not enough. So in February, as I said, weapons that are already being produced, including a large amount of equipment, by the way, made in Europe. I think that we also have to speak about it. We are looking for ways to cover this gap.
I urge you to help us secure a European decision to bring forward these loan funds. This is fully legitimate. Our team will provide you with all the details.
It’s also very important to continue every form of pressure on Russia for this war. I ask you to pay particular attention to anti-ballistic sanctions – against all Russian companies and individuals involved in ballistic missile production, and against all schemes that help Russia produce these missiles. And this is a global threat, not simply one part of Russia’s war against Ukraine. So it must be reflected both in EU sanctions packages and in national sanctions against Russia. Really, we provide these sanctions in Ukraine – not enough. We need a big package of anti-ballistic sanctions on the EU level, and not only in the EU, also on the level of countries who are outside of the EU in Europe, which is very important. It is also about Canada, our partners in Canada, and we try to manage it with the United States. So it's a big challenge for us.
At the technical level, our team is providing all the details to your sanctions coordinators. At the political level, I also ask your teams to exchange all the necessary documents so that we can increase the pressure together, and these sanctions must work, as I said, not only in Europe. Please help us in talks with other leaders.
We also need to do everything necessary together so that Ukraine, all of Russia’s other neighbours, and Europe as a whole can get through this winter without crises. We are counting on your support. This includes financing, as I said, and gas for this winter – we are very thankful to your countries, Jonas, thanks again – gas support, energy support, it is very necessary, equipment that your countries, your governments, provided before winter last year. We try to count on continuation. Our government officials will keep you informed about what is needed.
You also know very well the challenge we face in the Black Sea because of Russian strikes on our ports. This is first of all about food supplies to the global market. Russia tries to block our ports. We are responding in a completely justified way. So we offered Russia a grain ceasefire and different options for grain shipments. And we need to increase every form of pressure on Russia until they do care. The cost of living in countries and regions close to Europe depend on this – including in the Middle East, North Africa and elsewhere. You understand how important this is. So please, at every level, let us work together to solve this, I think, very big problem.
And probably we also need to discuss increasing EU quotas, especially for Ukrainian food exports. It is simply unfair when the war blocks our food exports on one side, and quotas limit them on the other. Let us look at this as well.
And we had consultations also with the Secretary-General on the UN level, etc. So all the countries understand that it will be a big challenge with the food this year, with agricultural products. So we need to solve this problem.
And one more thing. The process of opening Ukraine’s EU clusters has already taken quite a long time. We have done everything needed on our side. I hope that we will make a decision this year. Everything is ready. We count on the opening of all six clusters. Thank you.
Glory to Ukraine!