Estonia’s support to Ukraine is unwavering. We believe in Ukraine's victory. We believe in Ukraine, which is a country with liberal democracy and a free-market economy and which will become a member of the European Union and NATO.
In December 2023, we made a historic decision in the EU – to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. I have been a strong advocate for Ukraine at the European Council table. Now that Ukraine has met all the conditions, we need to start the accession talks as soon as possible. Estonia is also ready to help with our EU joining experience and share our knowledge.
I also want to reaffirm that Estonia’s support to Ukraine on your path towards NATO membership remains steadfast.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war of aggression, we have been witnessing Ukraine's bravery and resilience every day for more than two years.
For Ukraine’s victory, our support for Ukraine must continue. We must continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary and, equally important, to the extent necessary.
We must act now. We have no time to waste. The security of the free world is at stake. The outcome of this war is existential for Ukraine but also for the whole of Europe and transatlantic security.
We need to be brutally honest with ourselves and we have to do more.
Long-term commitments are important, but it is also a fact of war that the side who has the most ammunition will win.
The free world must act immediately to provide Ukraine with the necessary weapons and ammunition. Ukraine needs urgent and swift deliveries and increased support.
Estonia has recently given another military aid package of 20 million euros to Ukraine, which also includes ammunition. This takes our support to Ukraine this year alone to over 100 million euros, which is 0.25% of our GDP – just like we have promised.
I keep raising this issue with our Allies and partners. If everybody committed at least 0.25% of GDP for Ukraine’s military assistance in the coming years, we could outweigh Russia.
Estonia has also taken a long-term commitment to help build up your country and give humanitarian assistance. We will continue with reconstruction in the education and social spheres with a focus on Zhytomyr Region. Just recently, we opened our first Honorary Consulate there to contribute even more.
I am also pleased to see that there is great interest of Estonian companies to contribute to Ukraine’s reconstruction. We lead the way in showing others that reconstruction can start already now while the war is still ongoing. And that reconstruction can go hand in hand with digital cooperation.
Russian aggression has shown how cyber-attacks are now fully integrated into conventional warfare. Estonia will continue to help increase Ukraine’s resilience in cyber domain, both in military and civilian sector.
We still need to isolate Russia and continue with sanctions.
Russia must also compensate for the damage in Ukraine. Glad that at the EU level we are moving forward with the proposal to use profits generated from Russia’s immobilized assets. But this is only the first step. It is crucial to find a way to start using the assets as well. Because it is not for our taxpayers to compensate the damage our countries have not caused. The damage is caused by Russia.
And we need accountability. A special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine with the broadest cross-regional support and legitimacy must be established.
Hopes for a quick peace are a trap that we must not fall into. Russia would only use it to gather strength to attack even more fiercely. We all want to live in peace, I don’t know one single person in Ukraine who is for war, but we want this peace to be sustainable. Estonia supports and actively participates in President Zelenskyy's peace plan, which focuses on the territorial integrity and justice for Ukraine.
Thank you.
