Estonian parlt speaker in Kyiv: Ukraine’s future is in EU, NATO

TALLINN – At meetings with the president of Ukraine, the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and the prime minister of Ukraine in Kyiv on Tuesday, Estonian parliament speaker Lauri Hussar reaffirmed Estonia’s unwavering support for Ukraine and said that Ukraine’s future was in the European Union and NATO.

Hussar said that Ukraine is defending the democratic values of the whole of Europe and the West. At meetings with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, he confirmed Estonia’s continued solidarity and strong support for Ukraine and said that Estonia will stand with Ukraine until victory, spokespeople for the Riigikogu said.

Hussar assured that Estonia, together with other democratic countries, will continue to provide military, political and economic support to Ukraine. He pointed out that over the next four years, Estonia plans to provide Ukraine with military aid amounting to around 0.25 percent of its GDP, or more than 100 million euros per year.

"We are also actively calling on our partners and allies to increase defense assistance to Ukraine," he said.

Hussar added that Russia’s war criminals must be held accountable for the crimes committed in Ukraine and that those responsible for the crime of aggression must be brought before an international special tribunal.

"Russia must answer for its actions and compensate the damages caused to Ukraine. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is not an issue between Russia and Ukraine, nor is it only a European concern, it is a problem for the entire international community," he said, adding that Estonia will continue proceedings on the bill allowing the use of Russia’s frozen assets and will support the imposition of new sanctions on Russia until the last Russian soldier has left Ukraine.

Hussar affirmed at the meetings that Estonia will continue providing strong support to Ukraine on its way to the European Union and NATO. According to him, the EU’s decision to start accession negotiations with Ukraine was historic.

"We will do all we can to ensure that the process moves forward and that there are no delays in the next steps. However, we expect a clear signal from the NATO Summit in Washington that Ukraine’s path to the alliance is irreversible and firm,” he said.

Hussar was accompanied at the meetings in Kyiv by chairman of the foreign affairs committee Marko Mihkelson and members of the foreign affairs committee Henn Polluaas and Eerik-Niiles Kross.