“The green transition must be a transition that people make,” the Estonian head of government remarked following her meeting with President von der Leyen. “Achieving our climate objectives will be a change with very broad-ranging impact, because we have set ourselves the goal of reaching both climate neutrality and energy independence. But if we are to do so, then those objectives have to be realistic and achievable by everyone.”
Prime Minister Kallas says that achieving climate goals and completing the green transition are long-term processes of which the most tangible benefits will be felt in the field of energy. “They will allow us to secure independence from Russian energy and cover our own energy needs while maintaining our environment,” she explained. “The green transition is the answer to expensive fossil-fuel energy.” The achievement of the ‘Fit for 55’ goals guaranteeing competitive conditions for the forestry, maritime and road transport sectors was also raised during the meeting.
Prime Minister Kallas and President von der Leyen also discussed matters pertaining to Ukraine. “The Ukrainians are fighting for European values and simply to belong to Europe,” said the Estonian head of government. “We must grant them the hope of becoming an EU candidate country. Russia must not be allowed to think that aggression pays off. To that end we must press ahead with sanctions that make the price that Russia pays for the war even higher. Until Ukraine wins the war, there will always be more that we can and must do.” Also discussed at the meeting were ways of supporting countries taking in Ukrainian refugees in terms of covering both the immediate cost of doing so and the longer-term cost incurred in areas such as health care and education.
