(Adnkronos) – Italy’s premier Giorgia Meloni was on Friday set to attend a north-south summit in Lapland, northern Finland, where European leaders are focusing on security – chiefly Russia – and on migration.
The summit’s aim is to look at the main security challenges facing the European Union amid the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East with an ‘innovative format capable of reflecting cross-European sensitivities’.
The event also aims to lay the ground for a possible emergency EU leaders’ summit on security and defence issues in the first half of 2025.
Meloni who on Thursday was hit with flu, is taking part in the summit at the invitation Finnish counterpart Petteri Orpo.
The summit will open with a dinner on Friday evening and sessions on Saturday will centre on the European security environment and the phenomenon of migration.
Sunday’s programme features a discussion on the possible operational follow-up to the summit developing the ‘North-South’ format; a press conference is scheduled at the close of the summit.
“Europe must take more responsibility for its own security,” Orpo stated.
“This means that European countries must be strong leaders, both in the EU and in NATO,” he continued.
“Our biggest threat is Russia, which is trying to consolidate power and sow discord in Europe,” Orpo underlined.
Finland joined NATO in 2023 after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
