Estonia: only increased pressure will make Russia take negotiations seriously
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tahkna discussed the state of peace initiatives and further steps to end the war during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga. According to him, the results of the recent talks in Florida showed that Ukraine and the United States are committed to peace and are working towards it, while Russia remains the only party not interested in ending the hostilities.
The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website
Tsakhkna stressed that Moscow shows no readiness to abandon the goals that led to the full-scale aggression, including the destruction of Ukraine's sovereignty and attempts to revise the security architecture in Europe. He reminded that only over the past weekend, Russia launched new air strikes on residential areas of Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure
The head of Estonian diplomacy stressed that until there are real signs of Russia's readiness for a just and lasting peace, international efforts should be focused on further support for Ukraine and increasing pressure on the aggressor. According to him, Ukraine needs stable military assistance to deter the enemy on the battlefield and protect its cities from missile and drone attacks
He also noted that the European Union is working on the 20th package of sanctions, which should limit Russia's economic opportunities to continue the war. At the same time, mechanisms for security guarantees are being developed, as only strong and effective guarantees can prevent a repeat of Russian aggression
According to Tsakhkna, Europe should play a leading role in providing such guarantees and make a real military contribution, while the participation of the United States remains critical. He reminded that Estonia had announced in the spring that it was ready to provide Ukraine with a company-level unit, as well as training and staff officers within the coalition of the willing
