“It is positive that yesterday’s meeting in Berlin between European, US and Ukrainian leaders discussed the development of security guarantees, and that a step forward was taken in giving those guarantees practical substance.
Estonia has long held the view that a just and lasting peace requires strong security guarantees for Ukraine, ensuring that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine can never be repeated. Estonia already stated in its foreign policy address in February that the guarantees underpinning Ukraine’s security must take effect immediately once active hostilities end; that their content must include a commitment to defend Ukraine should aggression recur; and that the credibility of this commitment must be backed by real military capabilities. As early as April this year, the Estonian government decided it was ready to contribute, within the framework of Ukraine’s security guarantees, a unit of up to company size, along with training and staff officers.
Alongside the detailed development of the security guarantees, it must be remembered that a just and lasting peace first and foremost requires Russia, the aggressor, to change course — something it has not yet done. Through its continued large‑scale drone and missile attacks against Ukraine, its advances on the frontline, and its ongoing rhetoric about the supposed need to address the “root causes” of its own aggression, Russia demonstrates that it has not altered its objectives.
For this reason, Russia must be subjected to even stronger economic pressure, through sanctions and customs duties, and the European Council must this week take the decision to grant Ukraine a reparations loan backed by Russia’s frozen state assets. Supporting Ukraine economically through the use of frozen assets gives Ukraine confidence that Europe stands firmly behind it, and provides the opportunity to continue negotiations in pursuit of a just and lasting peace.”
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