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Tsahkna in Brussels: Delayed military aid means counting losses with people's lives

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

04.04.2024

Today 4 April, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna attended the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, where they celebrated the Alliance's 75th anniversary, held a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council and a meeting with the representatives of the Indo-Pacific region and the European Union. The minister also had bilateral meetings with his Spanish and Portuguese counterparts.

At the formal ceremony celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of NATO and the membership anniversaries of many Allies, including Estonia, Tsahkna said that thanks to NATO's open door policy the Alliance today was stronger than ever.

"The current security situation proves that the time for the policy of neutrality in Europe is over," Tsahkna said, adding that Ukraine also belonged under the protective umbrella of the Alliance. "Ukraine has implemented remarkable reforms despite the difficult conditions of war, and we will continue supporting them on their path of European integration and NATO accession."

Tsahkna emphasised that despite the festive mood, NATO was facing the most serious challenge of its history - a full-scale war of aggression in Europe - and this is why decisive action is needed to help Ukraine and strengthen the Alliance.

A meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council was held today with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called on all Allies to provide military aid to Ukraine to help it push back the aggressor. "Every day that we delay providing Ukraine with more and better aid is a lost day, and we can count the losses in terms of the lives of Ukrainians," Tsahkna noted. "Ukraine must get additional air defence systems because these would help them protect their people, infrastructure and NATO Allies from Russian missiles."

At the session with partners from the Indo-Pacific region and representatives of the European Union, Tsahkna said that advancing relations with countries that share similar values was very important for NATO Allies. "We can only withstand serious crises and hybrid threats if like-minded countries cooperate," the minister said. "The outcome of Russia's aggression will have an impact on the Indo-Pacific region as well, because the survival of the rules-based order and whether national borders can be changed by force will be decided in Ukraine."

Talks with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares covered ways of supporting Ukraine, and the cooperation of Estonia and Spain in the cyber domain. Tsahkna also underlined Estonia's commitment to NATO's 360 degree approach and affirmed we take threats from the south seriously.

At his meeting with the newly appointed Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, Tsahkna discussed cooperation options in rebuilding Ukraine. "Estonia's successful reconstruction projects in Ukraine help locals cope better with the brutal consequences of the war," Tsahkna said, adding Estonia was ready to share its experience in this area.