Margus Tsahkna at the Lennart Meri Conference: Ukraine must receive a clear roadmap for NATO membership in Vilnius
Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
13.05.2023
Today 13 May, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna attended the talk "They Rise and Sink Together: NATO on the Road to Vilnius" at the Lennart Meri Conference, emphasising that at the Vilnius summit, Ukraine must receive a clear roadmap for joining NATO.
The foreign minister said it was important for Sweden to become a member even before the summit in the summer, but Ukraine also needed a clear membership roadmap. "The issue of Ukraine joining the Alliance must not be something that is avoided at all costs in discussions," Tsahkna said. "We must make quick progress with Ukraine's NATO candidacy, decided as early as 15 years ago in Bucharest, and provide hope to Ukraine."
Tsahkna emphasised that Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine clearly demonstrated how an aggressor would act when a country is alone and without the defence guarantees of allies. "Grey areas in Russia's neighbourhood do not work and this is why Ukraine needs a clear back-up in NATO," Tsahkna said.
He added that it was crucial to show in Vilnius that NATO would indeed defend every inch of its territory and it was important to agree with Allies on increasing defence spending.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
