In Kultaranta, the summer residence of the president of Finland, Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Sauli NIINISTÖ, President of the Republic of Finland hold a press conference. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check gainst delivery.

press conference

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

EU - Finland (T)

NIINISTÖ, Sauli (FI)

Finland

Helsinki

president's agenda

Press point by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Sauli NIINISTÖ, President of the Republic of Finland

SOUNDBITE (English), Sauli NIINIST&Ouml;, President of the Republic of Finland, Thank you. First of all, I want to thank you very much, Madam President, for this short but very interesting visit. We had a possibility of talking quite a lot about the current situation in Europe. And we all know that you, Madame President, you have a key position to take us further to a future which we are now actually deciding.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sauli NIINISTÖ, President of the Republic of Finland, We have a lot of challenges. One of them being economic one, with inflation, with higher prices of energy, food, everything like that. Which during the months to come will challenge also the capability of resilience of the European people. And we need now strong leadership and very wise decisions how to tackle these, I would say, household problems, what the people will face.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sauli NIINISTÖ, President of the Republic of Finland, In the same time, like we discussed, we have to have resilience also in supporting Ukraine, in their fight for freedom and in their fight for our values. At the end, I guess, we both agree that in spite of difficulties, in spite of challenges, we are sure that the European tradition will win and we will have the possibility of creating to our children the future what we have been able to have during our childhood. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning. It was indeed a very pleasure and an honour for me to be able to be welcomed by you in this beautiful place. Finland has a very special place in my heart, but also because Finland has shown us and you, Mr. President, have shown us such leadership, especially over the last months, in these trying times.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, It is true Europe is facing a very difficult moment right now. But it is also the case where we see that unity is truly the key to us, showing that strength and resilience when faced with an aggressor and with war on our continent.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The next few days in the European Parliament, the European Council will be crucial. We will be deciding on the reference and acceptance of Ukraine as a candidate country to the European Union. That is something that has been the position of the European Parliament and it is something that we look forward to seeing from the European Council in the next few days.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, President, as you also mentioned, of course, so the food and rising energy prices, inflation are all challenges that are putting our countries, their leaders, but most importantly the citizens to the test. And it is in these moments where the decisions that we take are the ones that will need to lead us over the next months and years in what promises to be challenging, but from there we need to emerge stronger with the resilience that we need.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I think the COVID pandemic has also shown us that we can become stronger when we are united. This war has so far proven that too, but this is when we need to keep our strength and our unity together.

Q&As Question on whether Ukraine can join the EU during the ongoing war.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Thank you for this. First of all, we are in a context, as you said, of a war, which means that we have a population that is fighting for our values, values that we share, values of democracy, territorial integrity, sovereignty, freedom and justice.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, If we keep those fundamental values with which countries like ours fought for, also to join the European Union at the centre of all our activity, then it would be, let's say, a miss for us to close our door to Ukraine, which is why a European Parliament and we have seen an emerging, let's say with caution but also optimistically, consensus in the European Parliament and the European Council to declare Ukraine as a candidate country. Each country has its own path. Many different steps would have to be taken. But at the moment, that symbol of hope to keep the spirit alive is what is needed right now.

Q&As Question on how the joining process would work for Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Well, as we said, first, the European Commission after a request also from the European Parliament, initiated the process. The Ukrainians have responded to that process in lightning speed and we are waiting to see and also go through with more detail the so-called Avis, which is the opinion of the Commission, that will allow the leaders of the member states to go to the next step.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, In other words, to seriously discuss, once you become a candidate, the further integration of that country into different programmes, different processes, different paths. Every country has its own. But this is the moment for us to open that door.

Q&As Question on progress with Turkey regarding the possible membership of Finland in NATO.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sauli NIINISTÖ, President of the Republic of Finland, Yes, actually, that was a progress to have the possibility of meeting together. That took quite a long time. But nevertheless, the negotiations are now open and they have also agreed that they will continue. And even though in substance itself, there was not that much progress, surely we have to be satisfied that the discussion is now open.

Q&As And everybody is looking now for the timetable for NATO summit in Madrid that might be quite difficult to get agreements by that. But nevertheless, my impression is that serious discussions are going on, and hopefully all of us are at the end heading to a positive result.

Q&As Thank you. Question on whether Finland can join NATO before September.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sauli NIINISTÖ, President of the Republic of Finland, I wouldn't like to give any exact dates, but that is possible. Although it's possible that we are not going to do that by September. So it's open.

Q&As Question on factors that are slowing down the membership process.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sauli NIINISTÖ, President of the Republic of Finland, Like we have all understood, it's the Turkish position. And the problem, specifically with us, is that all what Turkey has so far is to meet the the average behaviour and position of all the existing NATO countries already. The question is with how to fight against terrorism in Turkey. So we have certain difficulties to be better than average in NATO.