Dear Mateusz, dear journalists,
Thank you for your very warm welcome. It’s my great pleasure to be in Poland immediately after my new government took office. Poland is our close friend and an excellent ally in NATO and partner in the European Union.
The times have changed. And we have clearly understood how the times have changed. Russia’s aggression is not only an European issue or a regional conflict. What is at stake in Ukraine is the right to exist as a country. Russia is testing if conquering and colonising a country in the 21st century is possible. Russia wants to rewrite the European security order and bring back the spheres-of-influence policy where might make right. These are existential principles of existential importance to both of us.
Poland’s role in NATO’s collective defence and in our regional security is increasingly crucial. Your planes are protecting our skies as part of the Baltic Air Policing Mission. Your soldiers regularly take part in our military exercises.
Our defence cooperation is moving to a new level – as a landmark step, we have procured together man-portable Polish air defence systems as you rightly pointed out. This strengthens not only our bilateral cooperation but also regional security.
And there is a lot more that ties our countries together. Connections matter and being connected to friends matters. We are connected to Europe via Poland. We are committed to improving our connectivity – from energy, road and rail transport to military mobility and telecommunications.
We also have room to strengthen connections in the field of digital services and solutions. As one example since last month Polish citizens can get medicine in pharmacies of Estonia with a digital prescription and vice versa.
Poland is an important trade partner and the interest of Estonian companies to do business here has grown significantly. There is especially great potential in the fields of cyber security, transport and logistics, smart city solutions, education, and health.
Dear Mateusz,
As I just returned from Ukraine, I would really like to thank you for your crucial role in supporting Ukraine’s fight for freedom. Poland has given historic amounts of military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. This is as you rightly pointed out because we both know our neighbour too well. You have received millions of war refugees. You’ve helped ensure tougher sanctions on Russia. You have been at the forefront of mobilizing international support to Ukraine.
This work must continue as the war is far from over. We must continue with decisiveness – nothing encourages the Kremlin more than signs of tiredness and hesitation.
We will continue to raise the cost of the war for Moscow until Ukraine wins the war. We will make sure war criminals are held accountable and Russia’s export revenues are cut off. We must make the aggressor pay for everything it destroys.
The free world must arm freedom better than tyranny. There’s no greater priority right now than sending ammunition to Ukraine. It is important that the EU agreed to jointly procure 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine. Now this decision must be put in practice quickly. Because Ukraine does not have time. My government made the decision last week to send artillery shells to Ukraine.
The way to lasting peace is to end grey areas in European security. Grey areas are triggers for wars and instability. This is why Sweden and Finland decided to join NATO. This is why for peace in Europe, we need Ukraine in NATO and in the EU.
The stability of Europe is secured by a geopolitical European Union and by NATO that is able to defend Europe militarily.
Living next to a pariah state demands that NATO’s forces must be more robust and more capable. This can be done only when decisions from the NATO Madrid Summit are put into practice as soon as possible. NATO’s defence plans must be put in place, exercised and backed up by necessary forces and capabilities.
Thank you again, dear Mateusz, for our good cooperation. Estonia and Poland will definitely work together on different spheres in the future, and I look forward to our fruitful cooperation.
