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Foreign Minister Tsahkna in Brussels: Union between Russia and North Korea needs to be broken

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

04.12.2024

At a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels yesterday and today, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna underlined that as Russia is intensifying hostilities and has brought in North Korean troops to fight on its side, allies must provide military assistance to Ukraine even more quickly and effectively.

"Estonia's vision is clear - Allies and partners must take their support to Ukraine to a level that would make it possible for Ukraine to win the war," Tsahkna said.

The foreign minister said the fact that North Korean troops are fighting only a few hundred metres from NATO's border has made it clear that Russia's aggression against Ukraine affects not only Europe but also the global power balance and security more broadly.

"The increasingly close cooperation between Russia and North Korea makes them both even more dangerous than before," Tsahkna underlined. "Our Allies and partners understand that this union needs to be broken not just for Ukraine, but for the security of the democratic Western world."

Speaking about Ukraine's path to NATO membership, Tsahkna said that Ukraine's accession was in the interest of Allies. "Grey areas must disappear from Europe because for Russia, they are just tempting targets for its next aggression," Tsahkna said. "NATO membership is the only truly functioning security guarantee and the best chance to ensure a lasting and just peace in Europe."

At a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Tsahkna recognised Ukraine for making notable progress despite extremely difficult circumstances with reforms that Ukraine needs to complete to join the Alliance.

The foreign ministers also discussed at length Russia's hostile actions on the territory of NATO Allies, and talked about reinforcing NATO's deterrence and defence posture, which centres on increasing defence spending.

The meeting of NATO Allies and the King of Jordan Abdullah II focused on the situation in the Middle East, and their meeting with the European Union's High Representative Kaja Kallas covered closer cooperation between the EU and NATO.

On the sidelines of the NATO ministerial meeting, separate meetings were held between NB6 foreign ministers (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden and Denmark) and the EU's High Representative Kaja Kallas; and between Nordic and Baltic ministers (NB8) and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. The foreign minister had bilateral meetings with the Foreign Minister of Montenegro Ervin Ibrahimovic, French Minister for European Union Affairs Benjamin Haddad, and Spanish Foreign Minister Jośe Manuel Albares.

Doorstep interviews of the foreign minister on the first day and the second day.

Photos of the ministerial meeting are available HERE and HERE.

From Brussels, Foreign Minister Tsahkna will travel to Qatar, where he is accompanied by a business delegation and where his meetings with members of the cabinet are aimed at boosting bilateral relations, advancing the opportunities of Estonian entrepreneurs on Gulf States markets, discussing Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and talking about security in the Middle East.