Prime Minister Kallas says the changed security situation demands that Estonia itself and NATO as a whole adapt quickly to it. “Estonia has significantly increased its defence spending,” she said. “By 2023 we will be investing 2.44% of GDP in national defence. NATO as well needs to take further steps to reinforce security in our region. I thanked the United States for their prompt decision-making in bolstering European security, but I stressed to Secretary Blinken that a strong and permanent NATO presence needs to be established in the Baltic region.”
The Estonian head of government also remarked that Russia’s massive aggression against Ukraine demanded continued political, economic and military support for the beleaguered nation. “The Ukrainians are fighting bravely for their country,” she said. “What they need more than anything else right now is our military assistance. In this regard, America’s dedication and help have been, and will continue to be, vital. Estonia, along with the United States, was one of the first countries to provide Ukraine with military support even before full-scale war erupted.”
Prime Minister Kallas conceded that we must be prepared for a lengthy crisis in which the worst is yet to come. “For that reason we must take further steps, in addition to the swift and weighty decisions we have already made, to stop Putin’s war machine,” she said. “We must cut the access of all Russian and Belarusian banks to the SWIFT payment system and restrict the use of cryptocurrency as well. We have closed our airspace to Russian aircraft, and as our next step we must close our ports.”
Prime Minister Kallas thanked Secretary Blinken and the U.S. administration for their efforts in ensuring unity among allies and partners. “Our solidarity and the scope of the decisions we are taking together send out a clear signal of how strong our democracies are,” she said, adding that there has been an enormous change in Europe’s attitude towards Russia. “Now we all need the strategic patience to hold the line and be prepared to implement additional restrictive measures against Russia.”
The full text of Prime Minister Kallas’ address can be found online at https://valitsus.ee/en/news/statement-prime-minister-kaja-kallas-after-her-meeting-us-secretary-state-antony-j-blinken.
Photos from meeting: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stenbockimaja/albums/72177720297208888/with/51925640366/
