Estonian PM attending meeting of European Council

TALLINN - Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas is to participate in the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, where the key topics will be continued support for Ukraine and the strengthening of the European defense industry, and in the Euro Summit on Friday.

"Ukraine has been bravely fighting against the aggression of the Russian Federation for two years. To support Ukraine in winning the war, we need to think outside the box more than we have so far, and act quickly and creatively, without excluding any solutions," the prime minister said. "It is not just the future of Ukraine that is at stake here, but also the future of the security architecture of Europe and the entire world."

The prime minister also mentioned the need to proceed with directing the revenue from Russia's frozen assets to assist Ukraine, as the aggressor state itself must primarily compensate for the damage. 

"We must continue to expand sanctions, particularly by restricting technology exports to Russia and imposing higher import tariffs on their agricultural products," Kallas stated.

The premier highlighted the importance of enhancing the European Union's defense readiness. 

"We must quickly discuss ways in which the European Investment Bank could invest in the defense industry. We also need to stimulate private capital, and seriously consider issuing defense bonds to enhance our defense capabilities," Kallas said.

In addition, EU leaders will discuss solutions to the Middle East crisis, the European Union's enlargement, migration, and alleviating the challenging situation in the agricultural sector.