Ukraine counts on cooperation with Finland to purchase long-range missiles – Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo, the presidential press service has reported.
“The President also thanked Finland for joining the PURL initiative and for its €100 million contribution. In addition, Ukraine looks forward to continued cooperation within the SAFE instrument for the procurement of long-range missiles, drones, and artillery ammunition,” the message reads.
In addition, the Head of State expressed gratitude for the 30th defense package worth EUR 52 million that was announced last week and for all the support provided to Ukraine.
During the meeting, Zelenskyy informed about the consequences of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector. The parties discussed the need to restore the relevant facilities and contributions to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.
They also discussed increasing the number of shelters and Finland’s leadership in the respective coalition. The President emphasized the importance of accelerating the construction and repair of shelters, which are critically needed amid intensified Russian attacks ahead of the winter season.
Earlier last week, Finnish Finance Minister Riikka Purra reaffirmed Finland's strong support for Ukraine during meetings in Washington.
“I confirmed Finland’s support for the PURL initiative in general terms at the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Washington last week. I also informed the Ukrainian Minister of Finance and the United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury of our positions. Finland cannot just stand by when systematic aggression is directed at civilians,” Purra said.
In Washington, Purra also noted the EU-approved legislative initiative to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.
The European Commission is expected to present a legislative proposal on the use of frozen Russian assets in early November if the European Council approves the initiative today.
“Frozen assets can be used in line with international law when those who control the assets are given sufficient legal guarantees that the assets will be made available where necessary. Finland will formulate its position in detail once the Commission submits its proposal. I hope that we can proceed on this quickly so that the war can be brought to an end through negotiations as soon as possible,” Purra said.
PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List) is a US-NATO initiative that provides Ukraine with critically needed weapons through targeted funding for American-made supplies. It was introduced after the US administration refused to continue supplying Kyiv with free weapons. Partner countries contribute to a common fund based on a prioritized list of needs agreed upon by Ukraine with the USA and NATO. This allows for coordinated contributions, expedited procurement, and faster delivery to the front lines of those weapons that cannot be replaced by European equivalents.
In August, four packages of American arms deliveries totaling approximately $2 billion were prepared. Funding was provided by Germany, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.
On August 15, at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belgium, Luxembourg, Finland, and Iceland announced their decisions to join this program. In October, Spain and Finland also announced their participation.