Speech by President von der Leyen at the 77th session of the Nordic Council

“Check against delivery”

Speaker Norlen,

Prime Minister Kristersson, dear Ulf,

Prime Ministers,

President Björklund,

Honourable members of the parliament

Excellencies,  

It is a pleasure to return to Stockholm, and an honour to address the Nordic Council. Here, in this chamber, you are not only Nordics. You are all Europeans. For millennia, the Nordic world has shaped our continent. Your nations have looked outward, across seas and oceans, carrying trade and knowledge to Europe. You are pioneers of democracy – from establishing the earliest Parliaments to advancing women's rights. Your social market economy is embedded in the foundations of our European project.

But Nordic influence extends far beyond politics. Your countries have shaped European culture in many different ways. From the haunting chords of Edvard Grieg to the infectious joy of ABBA. From the determination of the Finnish ‘Sisu' to the calming vibes of ‘Hüüga' in Scandinavia. From the moral struggles of Ibsen and Strindberg to the modern drama of Borgen. And, of course, in the simple elegance of Nordic design that fills homes and public spaces across our continent. The Nordic touch is woven into the fabric of Europe. And Europe, in turn, has helped that Nordic spirit reaches the world. So, my first message to you is simple. From the bottom of my heart – ‘tack'.

Yet what brings us together today is not only culture and values – but our common challenges, linked to the security and prosperity of our Continent.

Fellow leaders,

Excellencies,

Honourable members,

You stand at the frontier of a fraying global order. Not far from here, Russian fighter jets have violated European airspace. From Oslo to Copenhagen, drones have flown over critical infrastructure. In the Baltic Sea, undersea cables have been cut. Airports and logistics hubs have been paralysed by cyber-attacks. The intent is clear: to wear us down, to divide us. But the opposite is taking place. Together, Europe is responding. Nowhere is that more evident than here, in the Nordics. In Sweden and Finland, you took the bold choice of joining NATO. In Denmark, your citizens voted to join the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy. In Iceland, you have strengthened your cooperation with the European Union. Norway has signed a new Security and Defence Partnership with us. I know in Sweden you have a phrase – ‘många bäckar små…'; or in English – many small streams make a great river. Confronted with a more dangerous world, we are learning from that wisdom. Today, Europe is stronger together.

Nowhere is this clearer than in Ukraine. Putin thought he could break Ukraine's resistance in three days, or three weeks. Instead after 1,300 days, Ukraine's spirit is unbroken. This is first and foremost because of Ukraine's courage. But also because of the unrelenting support of Europe. Your countries have led the way. Brave Ukrainian forces fly fighter jets from Denmark, sail Swedish boats, fire Finnish artillery, use Norwegian drones, receive care in Icelandic field hospitals and found refuge in the Faroe Islands. This region is famed for its solidarity, and with Ukraine you are showing it in full force. Your countries have empowered their resistance. You can take pride in it, and all of Europe thanks you for that.

We all want this war to end. But a lasting peace relies on a strong and independent Ukraine. That matters for the security of our entire continent. Today, Putin still believes he can outlast us. He still thinks that, over time, Russia can achieve its aims on the battlefield. That is a clear miscalculation. A sustainable peace requires changing this miscalculation. That is why securing long-term financial support for Ukraine is essential. It is central to the security of all our countries. We must also continue to raise the cost of the war for Russia. Last week, we adopted our 19th package of sanctions. Wide ranging and extensive sanctions, which include measures to crack down on Russia's shadow fleet. We also welcomed the announcement of US sanctions on Russian oil companies. We are working towards a Reparations Loan based on immobilised Russian assets. This is the most effective way to sustain Ukraine's defence and its economy. And the clearest way to make Russia understand that time is not on its side. If needed, we are in for the long haul. We stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes.

In this region, you have been warning us of the dangers for years. And you were right when you said that Russia is preparing for a long confrontation with Europe. They redeploy troops and build infrastructure near Finland's borders. They step up their hybrid campaign across Europe. And they throw more money at their war economy, with over 40% of the federal budget and 9% of GDP going to their military. If we want lasting peace on our continent, Europe must have the capacity to deter any future Russian aggression. Within the EU, we have made historic progress towards building a Defence Union. We will mobilise up to EUR 800 billion by the end of the decade – to strengthen Member States' defence efforts. This is not only about spending more. It is about spending smarter and preparing together. It is about ensuring that Europe can protect every centimetre of our territory. That is the purpose of the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030, which I presented last week to the European Council. The Roadmap is a pan-European plan, built in close coordination with NATO, that sets clear objectives and measurable timelines. We will not duplicate existing operational structures. But we must help Member States to produce and procure the capabilities they need.

In this roadmap, we are again learning from the Nordics. We are taking ideas pioneered here and scaling them up across Europe. Take the Danish lead-nation approach, used so effectively to deliver weapons to Ukraine. One nation takes the lead. Others join in to create larger orders. Industry scales up production. The result: Production goes up and prices come down. We are now applying this model to close Europe's most critical capability gaps – from air defence to drones and electronic warfare. And to ensure that our efforts are successful, we need closer defence cooperation with all Nordic countries, beyond the borders of our Union. This is why we have signed a security and defence partnership with Norway, and talks are progressing with Iceland. Both countries can already participate directly in our SAFE financing mechanism, for joint procurement with your European neighbours. Because our industries are complementary, our security is indivisible, and our unity is our best strength.

There is another lesson that we should learn from you. Your experience shows that security is not only about armies or arsenals. It is also about the strength of societies. It is about being ready not only for conventional threats, but for hybrid attacks, floods, pandemics, and the shocks of a changing world. This principle runs right across the Nordic region. You know that security starts with being prepared. You see it here in Sweden – with your campaign ‘If Crisis or War Comes'. Designed to inform and remind every citizen that they have a role to play. Or in Finland, where preparedness is literally built into the bedrock. I saw it with my own eyes last year, when I visited the vast network of civil-defence shelters beneath Helsinki. You have underground car parks that can become hospitals, underground sports halls that can turn into refuges within hours. And I believe that Nordic preparedness should be a model for all of Europe. That is why I asked former President Sauli Niinistö to study how we can embed these lessons at the European level. His report, published one year ago, was crystal clear – Europe must build a Preparedness Union. We must build resilience into everything we do. From stockpiling critical medicines to protecting critical infrastructure. This is not a cost; it is an investment. Because it saves lives and minimises costs when disaster does strike. In the Nordics, you have always known that resilience is not built in the moments of crisis, but in the calm before it. Our security depends upon it.

Fellow leaders,

Excellencies,

Honourable members,

We are in a new era of competitive geopolitics and confrontational geoeconomics. One increasingly defined by power, whether economic, technological, or military. Europe's ability to act independently rests on the competitiveness of our economies. This is one of the most innovative regions of the world. From renewable energy to artificial intelligence, from biotech to space – you show that Europe can lead in the industries of tomorrow. But in this new age, we have to move faster. We have to make it easier for our innovative companies to succeed. We have to invest in what makes us unique and strong. This is why we have started a huge simplification drive. And why we are preparing the so-called 28th regime for innovative companies. And it is why we are stepping up on removing all the bottlenecks that slow down our competitiveness – from energy prices to the need for more investment and private capital. In a world where others move fast, we must move faster still.

We are working closely with you on these efforts, because we know the Nordics are problem solvers. Where others see a challenge, you see a solution. Take the existential threat of climate change – and the transition that it will require. Thanks to your foresight and early investment, you have become global leaders in the transition to clean energy and clean technologies. And that investment is paying off. Because today, the global clean transition is in full swing. Last year, more than 580 gigawatts in renewable energy capacity were added globally – a new global record for the third year in a row. Clean tech markets around the world are booming. Not only in countries like Sweden and Norway, where almost all new cars are now electric. In developing economies across Asia, Africa and Latin America, the sales of electric cars have risen by 60% last year. Or look at the global market for wind turbines. It continues to rise by over 10% every year. The overall global market for clean technologies is set to triple within the next decade, to more than USD two trillion. This is not just good news for the climate. It is a great economic opportunity. And your countries are already seizing it. From wind power in Denmark to Carbon Capture and Storage in Norway. Or the pioneering bioeconomy in Finland, which is already worth EUR 26 billion a year. Here in Sweden, the drive for clean innovation is producing incredible results. At Linköping University, a few hundred kilometres from here, scientists have developed a sunlight-powered catalyst that increases green hydrogen production by 800%. This is incredible. And we want to work with you, to strengthen this leadership in clean tech even further. This is also why we are placing competitiveness at the heart of the next long-term European budget. We are creating a new Competitiveness Fund, worth more than EUR 500 billion, focused on the strategic sectors that will define the decades ahead. And more than one third of the budget will go to climate and nature-related projects. This is not only about protecting our incredible nature. It is about taking Europe's security and prosperity into our own hands.

Fellow leaders,

Excellencies,

Honourable members,

Nowhere are the forces of nature and geopolitics clashing with more intensity than in the Arctic. That region is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet. Its eternal ice – that is, the protective shield of our Earth – is melting at record speed. And as the ice retreats, the Arctic is moving ever closer to the centre of global geopolitics. This affects you directly, but it impacts us all. Earlier this month, for the first time ever, a Chinese container ship has reached Europe by cutting through the Arctic. Russia is reopening Soviet-era bases and asserting control over the Northern Sea Route. In response, we Europeans need a new mindset. The foundation of our approach will remain the same. A partnership of like-minded nations, united by a shared goal – a secure, sustainable, and peaceful future for the Arctic.

But Europe must be more proactive and more invested in the Arctic. That is why we are reviewing our Arctic Policy to address new geopolitical threats. We want to strengthen our cooperation in Arctic nations and regions – from renewable energy to Earth observation, from innovation to connectivity. We want to work even more with you to understand how climate change impacts your towns and villages.   We want to build more digital infrastructure to connect communities. All of this, in close partnership with the local and indigenous populations. Because their knowledge and stewardship are invaluable.

Yes, global warming brings new and dangerous risks to the Arctic. But it also brings new responsibilities, and new opportunities. Take critical raw materials. Greenland alone holds 25 of the 34 critical materials that Europe needs – a treasure locked beneath ice and rock. Finland is already a world leader in producing and refining cobalt. And, dear Ulf, I remember when you hosted the whole team of European Commissioners to Kiruna. This Arctic city is not only a tourist attraction, with its incredible nature and its ice hotel. It is also a rising economic hub – home to a space centre, and to vast quantities of rare earths, vital for powering electric vehicles. We want to join forces with you. To create new local industries and value chains. To bring new jobs and breathe new life into communities across the high north. Make no mistake, the Arctic's economic strength is key to Europe's strategic independence.

Fellow leaders,

Excellencies,

Honourable members,

For thousands of years, the people of the Arctic have lived and thrived in the world's harshest conditions. They have survived change through respect for their landscapes and nature, but also, from a recognition that we need to rely on each other. Faced with a more dangerous world, we need to strengthen the bonds with those who share our values.

Dear Prime Minister Johannesen,

That was your message when I visited you in the Faroe Islands last year. And it is a message that is true for our relations with the entire Nordic world. Throughout our shared history, you have enriched our culture and made us stronger. In these testing geopolitical times, we must draw closer together still. Because, indeed, many streams make a mighty river. So let us make it flow even stronger for our peoples, for our continent, and for the generations to come.

Thank you and long live Europe.