Ministry: Declaring Russia a terrorist regime shows war is not forgotten
Declaring Russia a state sponsor of terrorism shows Estonia has not forgotten the war, said Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jonatan Vseviov on Wednesday.
Earlier this week Riigikogu members submitted a statement declaring the Russian regime a terrorist regime.
Vseviov told ETV show "Ringvaade" assigning this label to Russia means different things in different countries.
"In our case, the most important thing is that it shows our attitude and our position, and also reminds everyone that for us, this war has not become yesterday's news," he said, adding as the war has been going for quite a long time it can become easier to ignore.
"We must not do that because what is happening is unacceptable, but it is also important for us that the Western political elite stays on the course we have chosen."
While, in the U.S. declaring a country a state sponsor of terrorism includes adding legal consequences, such as sanctions, this is not always the case in Europe.
"If the people demand that our leaders deal with this war, with winning this war, governments will deal with it," Vseviov said.
"What must be done to win the war, we have known from the outset: the price of aggression must be raised so high that it becomes more reasonable for the aggressor to end its aggression than to continue it. Ukraine must be supported militarily, politically, economically, and with hope. And we must insist that all those who commit crimes, be they war crimes, attacks on civilians or the crime of aggression itself, will sooner or later be brought to justice."
He said substantive steps need to be taken alongside such statements. The ninth package of EU sanctions is already being discussed, the official added.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) said Estonia considers Russia a state sponsor of terrorism on Monday after the country launched an attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
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Editor: Merili Nael, Helen Wright
Source: Ringvaade