“Freedom and democracy have no price tag”

The road of EU leaders now leads to Kiev. The President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyenin and Director of External Relations Josep Borrellin is scheduled to travel there today, Friday, according to . President of Parliament Roberta Metsola visited Ukraine last week first (go to the second service) As EU leader.

– The decision to leave was big. I wanted to hear the views of MEPs and the President on how we could meet their needs, Metsola described. trip (you switch to another service) backgrounds when I interviewed him in Strasbourg on Monday.

The Maltese Metsola has a direct connection to Finland, as he is married Ukko Metsola with.

Message from the Ukrainians It was clear to Europe and Metsola that the country is in dire need of more help. In addition to financial and humanitarian support, arms exports must also be increased, Metsola says. At stake is Europe’s common security and values.

– Ultimately, they are waging war on our behalf for the principles and values ​​that we also defend.

According to Metsola, the EU, its member states and the international community did not take warnings about Russia’s activities seriously enough. Instead, we looked elsewhere.

Now to the atrocities and suspected war crimes must be addressed. According to Metsola, sanctions against Russia must be tightened.

According to Metsola, the goal must be to give up energy imported from Russia altogether. Parliament sent a strong message to EU Member States on Thursday when it voted crushed numbers (you switch to another service) the complete cessation of imports of Russian gas, oil, coal and uranium.

– If we do not accept this premise, we will not be in a situation where Europe buys energy from its friends instead of its enemies.

The downside of energy sanctions is their impact on the economies and energy supply of European countries. In Metsola’s view, it is understandable that the price of fuel worries national decision-makers.

– But freedom and democracy do not have a price tag.

Energy sanctions are likely to be returned to at a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday.

Peaceful weekend

EU-led financial journalist Anna Karismo next, what other European topics should be put behind this week and what will come in the coming days.

PS Please note that the renewed European letter will henceforth only be sent in full by e-mail. A condensed version will be published on ‘s website. You can order the letter here (you will switch to another service). This week, the e-mail version includes, among other things, the first-ever European audience mission!

Paris supplier Annastiina Heikkilä reports on election events online, radio and television. In this story, he explains why the sitting president Emmanuel Macronin the election victory has not been announced in the church.

Editor in the World Politics Everyday Program Sampo Vaarakallio interviews a French professor Pascal Perrineau. Perrineau estimates that the coronary crisis and the war in Ukraine will save Macron from a loss.

On Sunday on election night of the first round, you can follow the special broadcast at Areena from 9.05 pm from this link. TV1 has an extra news broadcast from 9 p.m.

Macron’s support in opinion polls quickly caught up (you switch to another service) far-right candidate Marine Le Pen leads the National Alliance Party. It belongs to the same ID group in the EU Parliament as the Basic Finns. The Center and the RKP are working with the Macron Party on the Renew Group.

“EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says EU paid € 35 billion in energy to Putin during the war with € 1 billion in arms donations to Ukraine “, Jennifer Rankin tweeted on wednesday. Putin’s coffers are singing right now as oil and gas money crumbles there record amount (switch to another service).

Tomorrow is Saturday culminates Stand up for Ukraine (switch to another service) campaign in Warsaw at 4 pm Finnish time. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi has invited everyone from musicians to athletes and politicians to support Ukrainian refugees.

The following meetings of the Council of Ministers will not be held until May, after the French presidency of the EU presidency. The ministers of the member states will keep in touch for the next month, mainly informally.

In the coming days there is also an indication of the EU line to be taken by Orbán in Hungary after the extension of his mandate. It is not good that Orbán was already slipping off the front of the EU when he was announced his intention (you will switch to another service) pay in rubles for gas purchases from Russia according to Putin’s demands. Orbán’s use of power is also the subject of the Brussels plane.

You can discuss topics until Saturday night at 11 p.m.