Estonian president stresses importance of backing Ukraine to US senators

TALLINN - At a meeting with US senators in Kadriorg on Wednesday, Estonian President Alar Karis thanked the United States for its long-term support and alliance, stating that Estonia highly values the United States' global leadership and remains a committed ally in defending freedom and security.

The meeting between the Estonian head of state and US senators visiting the NATO allies in Europe focused on security issues, the impact of the war in Ukraine, and strengthening transatlantic relations.

Karis highlighted the importance of the US military presence in Estonia and steps taken to strengthen European security.

"Transatlantic relations are critical for ensuring Europe's security. It is very important that the American flag is visible in Europe -- it provides reassurance to the allies and is an effective deterrent against Russian aggression," Karis said.

The head of state emphasized that while there are numerous conflicts worldwide, the most acute security threat for Estonia and the region is Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine.

"I have personally visited Ukraine multiple times and witnessed the severe impact of the war. Our obligation is to support Ukraine -- militarily, politically, and through reconstruction and reform efforts, even while the war still continues," the president noted. "Sanctions against Russia are crucial, but they are effective only if enforced properly."

Karis noted that the Russian threat affects not only Ukraine but the entire region and Europe as a whole.

"The good news is that Finland and Sweden are NATO allies -- this significantly strengthens our and the region's collective defense," he stressed.

The meeting also addressed Estonia's defense development and the role of allies. Karis noted that in addition to defending itself, Estonia contributes strongly to collective defense, with defense spending soon reaching 5.4 percent of GDP.

"Estonia is one of the first allies to aim to raise defense spending to the five-percent level agreed at the NATO summit in The Hague. This supports President Trump's call for Europe to do more," Karis noted.

"It sends a strong signal to allies and helps persuade all to contribute more. Europe was accustomed to living in peace, but the wake-up call sounded long ago, and most European countries now take security increasingly seriously," he said.

Karis stated that long-term Russian containment policy will be required in the future.

"Our historical experience shows that Russia only backs down under pressure. Therefore, Western political and military support for Ukraine must increase. We highly value US-led initiatives in this regard," he said.

However, peace in Ukraine, he added, cannot be the ultimate goal.

"Estonia sees the security threat in Russia's imperial ambitions, which are manifest today in Ukraine. If Russia is not contained and pushed back, it may seek new opportunities to pursue its imperial ambitions in our region or beyond. Their long-term goal is to reshape the world order and principles -- this must not be allowed. We must collectively pressure those who enable Russia to wage war," Karis said.

In addition to security and defense issues, the senators also expressed interest in Estonia's digital-state experience. Karis shared Estonia's success story in e-governance and spoke about the upcoming AI leap program starting in schools this fall, aimed at taking technology education to a new level.

The meeting was attended by senators John Thune, Jim Banks, John Curtis, David McCormick, Bernie Moreno, and Jon Husted. This was the highest-level and most significant US Congress delegation in recent years, led by Thune, the Senate majority leader.