Estonian formin to Ukrainian colleague: We will stand together until Ukraine’s victory

TALLINN – Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said at a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Tallinn on Thursday that Estonia will stand by Ukraine until the latter's victory.

The ministers met in Tallinn to discuss Ukraine’s accession into the European Union, using frozen assets for reconstruction in Ukraine, the country’s path towards NATO membership and Ukraine’s peace formula.

Tsahkna recognized the decision of the European Union late last year to launch accession negotiations with Ukraine.

"It is the start of a long process and Estonia is ready to share its experiences to offer practical support to Ukraine’s European integration. Ukraine belongs in the family of European countries and it is currently fighting for the freedom of us all," Tsahkna told his colleague.

The meeting also covered Ukraine’s NATO membership.

"We are working tirelessly to make sure that NATO’s July summit in Washington brings Ukraine even closer to NATO," Tsahkna said.

He also briefed Kuleba on Estonia’s plan to use frozen Russian assets.

"I hope that the bill, which I submitted to the government and which is currently in the parliament, is adopted as quickly as possible and we can start using frozen assets to repair the war damage in Ukraine," Tsahkna said.

The minister reaffirmed Estonia’s support for Ukraine’s 10-point peace formula. Estonia is ready to co-chair the working group focused on restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity and upholding international law. 

Tsahkna promised Estonia would be unwavering in its long-term support to Ukraine, both in terms of military aid and reconstruction. Estonia will also continue its efforts to raise the cost of the aggression for Russia, including by imposing additional sanctions, using frozen assets for the benefit of Ukraine and holding Russia’s leadership to account.