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BRUSSELS (ANP) РTo address the major threats to the European Union such as war and climate change, EU countries need to cooperate better and share sensitive information with each other. This was stated by former Finnish President Sauli Niinisț at the presentation of a report on European defense. Niinisț wrote the report on behalf of the European Commission.
“We must learn to trust each other,” said Niinistö. This trust must exist not only within countries but also across borders. “If a member state loses its security, we all have a problem.”
The report on European civil and military readiness discusses not only the threat from foreign powers or climate change but also mentions, for example, pandemics. The presence of all these threats together “points towards a longer period of increased risk and great uncertainty for the union.” This is especially true when threats occur simultaneously, such as floods combined with a cyberattack.
The report emphasizes that dealing with these problems is not only a matter for governments but also for businesses and the entire population “so that the European Union and its member states can continue to function under all circumstances.”
One of the many other recommendations is the establishment of an anti-sabotage network, which EU member states can call upon if they suddenly face damage to important infrastructure.
Von der Leyen asked Niinistö in March to write the report in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The choice fell on the Finnish politician Niinistö because Finland not only has a long tradition of a strong military but also in continuously educating its own population about other potential dangers such as disinformation.
The advice from the report will guide the next European Commission, which may start on December 1. Niinistö’s ideas on addressing European threats have already been included in the job descriptions of the upcoming European Commissioners, said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the report’s presentation.
(October 30, 2024)
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