President Metsola is in Finland where she meets the Speaker of Eduskunta (the Finnish Parliament) Matti Vanhanen (both followed by press points). She also meets the Chair of the Grand Committee Satu Hassi and representatives of political parties represented in Eduskunta and attends the Plenary Session of Eduskunta.

press conference

official visit

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

EU - Finland (T)

Finland

Helsinki

VANHANEN, Matti (FI)

president's agenda

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Finland: visit to Eduskunta, Parliament of Finland and meeting with Matti VANHANEN, Speaker of the Parliament

Establishing shots, Helsinki, Finland, 3 shots

Exterior Eduskunta, Parliament of Finland

Arrival of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to the Eduskunta and welcome by Matti VANHANEN, Speaker of the Parliament, 2 shots

Visit of the Eduskunta, the Parliament of Finland, 9 shots

Meeting between Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Matti VANHANEN, Speaker of the Parliament of Finland, 3 shots

Signing of the Parliaments&rsquo; guest book, 3 shots

Meeting with the delegation of the Finnish parliament and photo opportunity, 2 shots

SOUNDBITE (English), Matti VANHANEN, Speaker of the Parliament of Finland, There is a need to continue our support to Ukraine, including military assistance, and we need to keep Russia accountable for its brutality and criminal actions. There is wide support in the Parliament for the Commission's recommendation to grant candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova and also to Georgia once certain conditions are met.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Congratulations also, dear Matti, for your leadership as you steered the NATO membership discussion through this House with impressive political unity. I can also say that this unity that we have seen on a European level with regards to the brutal invasion by Russia of Ukraine has also translated into further European action. And it will culminate this this week in what I hope in a European Council that I will be present at will not only continue to express tangible European support to Ukraine, because Ukrainians are fighting for our values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law, not only to give continuous military, financial and political and humanitarian aid, but also the hope and the spirit of EU membership. And thereby the decision to grant candidate status to Ukraine and also to Moldova will receive the European Parliament's strong support.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The European Parliament is calling to start to convene a convention which will bring together National Parliament and European parliamentarians with the Council and Commission to consider where we could go, what gas we could fill, and perhaps eventually also a treaty change. 

Roberta METSOLA, EP President following of the Plenary Session of Parliament from the Diplomatic Gallery and being announced to the Chamber, 4 shots