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Foreign Minister Tsahkna in Brussels: Strong pressure on Russia will continue

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

27.01.2025

Today 27 January, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna attended the meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels, discussing Russia's aggression against Ukraine, hybrid threats, and the situation in Georgia, Moldova, the Middle East, and Belarus.

At the meeting, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna underlined that it was crucial to continue providing military support to Ukraine and pressuring Russia into changing its course, mainly by imposing sanctions and taking Russia's frozen assets into use.

"EU countries must expedite and expand their military assistance to Ukraine to help the country to a stronger position on the battlefield, while continuing comprehensive pressure on Russia," Tsahkna said. "It is extremely important that an agreement was reached today on extending existing sanctions imposed against Russia and work on the 16th package of sanctions has begun. EU member states are increasingly aware that sanctions work and really do weaken Russia's economy. When we take the economic tools for waging war away from Russia, we will reach a just peace in Ukraine more quickly."

Speaking about hybrid threats, Tsahkna said it was difficult to believe in accidents when damage to submarine infrastructure in the Baltic Sea occurred so frequently. "Today we had in-depth discussions with the foreign ministers about the options for defending critical infrastructure and deterring perpetrators of hybrid activities," Tsahkna said.

The meeting of the foreign ministers also covered the suppression of protests in Georgia, the truce between Israel and Hamas, and the situation in Syria. Speaking about the energy crisis in Moldova, the foreign minister announced that Estonia would contribute €50 000 to the Energy Vulnerability Reduction Fund (EVRF).

EU foreign ministers met with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the democratic forces of Belarus, in Brussels yesterday evening. At the meeting, Tsahkna affirmed that Estonia would not recognise the results of the pretend elections organised by the regime of Alexander Lukashenka.

At today's meeting, European Union sanctions were also imposed against three members of Russia's military intelligence (GRU), who conducted a cyber-attack against Estonia in May 2020.