Estonian ForMin secgen in Romania: Ukraine’s future is in NATO

TALLINN – Secretary general of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jonatan Vseviov was on a visit to Bucharest, Romania, on Friday, where he noted that Estonia’s aim at the upcoming  NATO summit was to put together a clear roadmap for Ukraine to join NATO.

Vseviov met with Iulian Chifu, foreign policy, security and strategic affairs adviser to the prime minister, Daniela Gitman, secretary general for European affairs at the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Simona Cojocaru, state secretary and chief of the department for defense policy, planning and international relations, ministry spokespeople said.

The meetings concentrated on preparations for the NATO summit in Vilnius in July. Vseviov emphasized that Estonia’s aim at the upcoming summit was to put together a clear roadmap for Ukraine to join NATO.

"Russia is the greatest threat to the alliance’s security and after Russia’s war has ended, there can be no grey areas in Europe," he said. "Ukraine has made its choice and expressed it clearly -- it wants to be part of the NATO family."

Speaking about raising the cost of the aggression for Russia and holding Russia’s leadership accountable for the crimes committed in Ukraine, Vseviov said that Russia must compensate all the damage it has caused to Ukraine with its war of aggression.

"It is the moral responsibility of the West to make sure that Russia’s leadership faces an international tribunal," he added. 

They also discussed Ukraine’s path to the European Union. Vseviov said that if Ukraine meets the goals set by the European Commission, Estonia would like to see the decision on opening accession talks by the end of this year.

"The negotiation process contributes to further reform in Ukraine and helps to conduct the reconstruction process in accordance with European Union standards," the secretary general said.

Meetings also covered support for the security of the Republic of Moldova. Vseviov recognized his Romanian colleagues for their consistent assistance to Moldova and underlined that the active fight against Russia’s hybrid attacks must continue.

"Moldova is remarkably committed to European integration. We must help them every way we can in implementing the necessary reforms," the secretary general said.

Vseviov also attended the Black Sea and Balkans security forum, where he spoke in a panel on transatlantic cooperation and challenges brought on by Russia’s war in Ukraine.