Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, who is taking part in a European Council meeting for the first time since taking office, says the main issue for Helsinki at this summit is Ukraine.

Upon Orpo's arrival at a meeting of the members of the European council, which are the heads of state and government of the EU member states and the leadership of European institutions in Brussels on Thursday, he said the main issue today is Ukraine. It is needed to continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, and send a clear message to the Ukrainian people that the EU officials support Ukrainians strongly militarily, economically and politically, he said.

Orpo is convinced of the need to apply even stronger sanctions to Russia. The Prime Minister of Finland said this is a clear signal to Putin that he will not win this war. The EU will support Ukraine for as long as it takes, he said.

He also called Ukraine's security guarantees an important issue. The head of the Finnish government said they need a joint promise to Ukraine to help them in the issue of security, and this is a very important issue at the meeting today.

As previously reported, the meeting of the European Council will be held on June 28 and 29 in Brussels. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to address EU leaders via video link.