TALLINN – Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna on Friday participated as a representative of the Baltic Council of Ministers in a meeting with the presidium of the Baltic Assembly, where what has already been done and what is to come in the framework of Baltic cooperation in the first half of 2023 was discussed.
Tsahkna stressed that close cooperation between the three countries must continue to be a priority.
"Since Russia's war in Ukraine, our three countries are in a similar situation and our common goal is for Ukraine to win this war. This is of primary importance for the existence of our countries," he said.
The meeting focused mainly on strengthening regional security. Tsahkna said that although Finland's accession to NATO has significantly strengthened regional security, in order to implement decisions and plans, the allies still need to be more ambitious in terms of defense spending and investments. The foreign minister also stated that joint procurements in the field of defense would help reduce defense costs and promote defense cooperation between the Baltic states.
Energy security was also discussed at the meeting. The focus was on the strategic energy projects of the Baltic states, including the development of renewable energy, as well as the possibilities of diversifying energy sources.
The Rail Baltic project, which is an important infrastructure project for all Baltic states, was also touched upon. There is a common understanding that the implementation of the project must be progressed with effectively in order for the project to be successfully completed. Cooperation in the fields of culture and education was also discussed.
The next meeting of the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers will take place on Nov. 24 in Tallinn, when the 29th Baltic Council will be held.
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