The EU's eastern flank is stepping up its defence in the face of the Russian threat
The leaders of the eight countries on the eastern flank of the European Union have recognised Russia as an immediate and long-term threat and agreed to make the protection of the EU's eastern borders a priority. The meeting on 16 December was attended by the leaders of Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. This was reported by The Public with reference to DW.
The joint statement says that Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine and Moscow's hybrid operations pose risks not only to the countries bordering Russia, but also to the whole of Europe. The leaders emphasised that the Kremlin's strategic goals remain unchanged and include the formation of a zone of influence from the Arctic to the Black Sea.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo announced an agreement to develop the EU's flagship defence project Eastern Flank Watch. The initiative is to combine existing programmes, including the Baltic Defence Line and Eastern Shield, and strengthen capabilities in ground defence, air and missile defence, anti-drone, border security and critical infrastructure.
Finland and Poland have declared their readiness to lead the implementation of Eastern Flank Watch. According to Orpo, the EU budget already provides for 1.5 billion euros that can be used to strengthen the defence of the eastern flank. The European Commission reaffirmed its support for these plans, stressing that Russia's war economy continues to operate at full capacity.
