Estonian formin in India: Role of global support for Ukraine must not be underestimated

TALLINN - Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, who met with Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankari with his Nordic and Baltic colleagues and bilaterally with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on Thursday, stressed that the role of global support for Ukraine must not and cannot be underestimated.

Tsahkna also met with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Defense Giridhar Aramane. All the meetings mainly covered increased bilateral and regional cooperation and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The foreign minister also spoke at the annual Raisina Dialogue's panel on Ukraine, spokespeople for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

At a lunch meeting with his NB8 colleagues, Tsahkna emphasized the importance of the cooperation between our region and India and the desire and readiness to boost this cooperation. Speaking about the situation in Ukraine and global security more broadly, Tsahkna stressed that the support of countries further away from Ukraine was indispensable.

"If Ukraine should lose this war, its impact will go beyond Ukraine’s immediate neighborhood, and affect the world more broadly. As the actions of Russia are threatening the current international order, democracies must join forces and boost cooperation to defend their values," he said.

The conversation with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval focused mainly on cooperation opportunities in cyber defense. They also spoke about the situation in Ukraine, with Tsahkna underlining the importance of global support and Ukraine’s victory.

At his meeting with Secretary General of India’s Ministry of Defense Giridhar Aramane, the Estonian foreign minister highlighted the interest of Estonia’s defense industry in the Indian market and Estonia’s wish to deepen cooperation on cyber defense.

"Just as Estonia considers regional and multilateral cooperation important, we also value advancing bilateral relations with India," Tsahkna said.

On Friday morning, Tsahkna took part in the Raisina Dialogue’s panel on Ukraine, which focused on Russia’s aggression and addressed the changed security architecture in Europe and its global impact.

On the sidelines of the conference, the foreign minister also had meetings with the foreign ministers of Mauritius, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bhutan and with the think tank Atlantic Council and the Invest India agency. On Tuesday, Tsahkna also spoke at the Europe-India business seminar's panel on digital development.