“There is always room for diplomacy, but we have to be prepared for the possibility of Russia opting instead for military escalation,” the Estonian head of government remarked at the meeting. Vice-President Harris emphasised that the United States would respond forcefully and decisively to any threats posed by Russia. “We have the assurance that NATO will defend every square metre of its territory,” Prime Minister Kallas said.
The Baltic leaders and US Vice-President reiterated their complete and unwavering support for Ukraine. “We stand with the Ukrainians and will help them defend their country,” Prime Minister Kallas said. “We must also stop Ukraine’s economy from collapsing. We have prepared an array of hard-hitting sanctions with which to place Russia’s financial and industrial sectors under enormous pressure if they ramp up their aggression towards Ukraine.”
The Estonian head of government also noted that the response to Russia’s demands remains unequivocal: no concessions will be made in regard to the underlying principles of European security. “Under no circumstances will NATO be withdrawing its forces from our region,” Prime Minister Kallas confirmed. “On the contrary, more troops are to be deployed here. The alliance has already boosted its presence on its eastern flank.” She added that Estonia greatly appreciates the contribution the United States has made to the security of the Baltic States to date. “But Russia bringing soldiers and rockets into Belarus has changed the security outlook for the Baltic Sea region,” she cautioned. “NATO’s defence and deterrence position in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania must be further reinforced. We await the arrival of additional American forces.”
Discussions at the meeting also touched on developments in the digital field and the framework for trusted connectivity. Prime Minister Kallas remarked that cross-border infrastructure, geopolitics and digital technology are closely interlinked in today’s world. “As democratic countries, we have to find a way of building up trustworthy connectivity, both physical and digital,” she said.
