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Tsahkna meeting special envoy Kellogg: Russia must be pressured into giving up its aims

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

07.02.2025

Today 7 February, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and his Latvian and Lithuanian colleagues met in Washington with General Keith Kellogg, special envoy for Ukraine and Russia appointed by President Donald Trump.

At the meeting, Tsahkna underlined that Russia's ambition was not just territorial gains, it was to destroy Ukraine and dismantle the Euro-Atlantic security architecture. "To ensure the security of both Europe and the USA, we must pressure Russia into giving up on these goals," Tsahkna emphasised.

The foreign minister said the supporters of Ukraine have been doing the right thing in recent years by providing military assistance to Ukraine and putting economic pressure on Russia, and this should continue. "Only when Ukraine is in a strong position and Russia is in a weak position is it possible to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine. We must avoid a scenario where Russia does not give up its objectives definitively and only recovers its strength to continue the aggression when it sees fit. It is necessary to put an end to Russia's imperialist ambitions," the foreign minister said.

Tsahkna said that military aid to Ukraine must continue, sanctions imposed against Russia must be ramped up, its revenues from the export of energy carriers must be reduced, and Russia's frozen assets must be mobilised. "The strength and resolve of the West in helping Ukraine achieve victory are crucial for deterring other hostile powers, including North Korea and Iran."

The visit of the Baltic foreign ministers ran from 5 to 7 February, and yesterday and today they met with senators Dick Durbin, Chuck Grassley, Jeanne Shaheen, James Risch, Elissa Slotkin, and Ted Cruz, and representatives Salud Carbajal, Don Bacon, Joe Wilson, and Ken Calvert. The Baltic foreign ministers also took part in a Globsec panel on achieving sustainable peace in Ukraine.