Security and competitiveness feature prominently in discussions at Nordic summer meeting

Discussions at the Nordic prime ministers’ summer meeting in Paimio focused mainly on security in the Nordic region and the Baltic Sea region and on the situation in Ukraine. The meeting was held in Paimio and Turku on 26 May. 

The Nordic countries are already working closely together to strengthen security, both bilaterally and within NATO and the EU. The Nordic countries have also decided on major investments in their defence and security.

Moreover, the countries are working together to build comprehensive security. Finland’s goal is to deepen and accelerate that cooperation even further.

The Nordic leaders strongly condemned Russia’s attacks on Ukraine this weekend, which clearly targeted civilians.

“With these attacks, Russia has shown that it is not serious about peace talks. If Russia were serious, it would stop the attacks now,” said Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

The summer meeting was hosted by Prime Minister Orpo and Head of the Government of Åland Katrin Sjögren. The meeting was attended by Nordic prime ministers Kristrún Frostadóttir of Iceland, Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway, Ulf Kristersson of Sweden, Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, Aksel Vilhelmson Johannesen of the Faroe Islands and Jens Frederik Nielsen of Greenland, as well as Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers Karen Ellemann.

At the meeting, the Nordic leaders adopted joint statements on Nordic cooperation for preparedness and quantum technologies.

Over a working lunch, the prime ministers also met with Nordic business leaders and representatives of the business sector. Their discussions focused especially on strengthening the role of the private sector in boosting Nordic competitiveness and on the role of the private sector in supporting Ukraine.

Participants in the discussion included Chairman of the Board of KONE Corporation Antti Herlin, President and CEO of Volvo Group Martin Lundstedt, CEO of A.P. Moller - Maersk Vincent Clerc and the leaders of several industry confederations, including Director General Ole Erik Almlid (Norway), CEO Jyri Häkämies (Finland), CEO Lars Sandahl Sørensen (Denmark), CEO Sigrídur Margrét Oddsdóttir (Iceland) and Chair of the Board Jacob Wallenberg (Sweden). Other participants included Yara International CEO Svein Tore Holsether, General Counsel of JBT Marel Arni Sigurjonsson, Chairman of the Board of the Åland Chamber of Commerce and CEO of Ålandsbanken Peter Wiklöf, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs of Paf - Games Sport Casino Sverker Skogberg, Air Greenland CEO Jacob Nitter Sørensen, CEO of Greenland Business Association Christian Keldsen, Partner and CEO of ArtiCon Jón Sigurdsson and Managing Director of House of Industry Faroese Employer Association Niels Winther.

“The Nordic countries are united by the fact that we are all staunch defenders of free trade,” said Prime Minister Orpo.

Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz attended the Nordic prime ministers’ dinner on Monday evening at the invitation of Prime Minister Orpo.

Prime Minister Orpo and Federal Chancellor Merz will continue their discussions at a bilateral meeting in Turku on Tuesday. Topics of discussion will include relations between Finland and Germany and current EU and international issues.

Inquiries: Marja Koskela, Diplomatic Adviser to the Prime Minister, tel. +358 295 160 978, Ann-Sofie Stude, Chief of the Secretariat for Nordic Cooperation, tel. +358 295 350 531, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office