Estonian MEPs: EU must be bolder in supporting Ukraine and defending itself

Estonian delegates of the European Parliament said on an "Esimene stuudio" debate that the EU and member states should ramp up support for Ukraine and convince countries outside the union to do the same.
Isamaa's Riho Terras said that a Ukrainian victory requires courage, will and money, and while the countries backing Ukraine have enough of the latter, the same cannot be said of courage and willpower.
"That is why not enough weapons and ammunition have been sent to Ukraine. Everyone is talking about it, from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Joe Biden. Everyone wants to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, while the actual contribution falls short of what's needed. I find it to be a major problem," Terras noted.
The MEP said that politicians and people in Europe and USA do not realize that Russia is gearing up for war with NATO, whereas Russian leader Vladimir Putin is banking on the West failing to rise to the occasion.
Social Democrat (SDE) Marina Kaljurand said that the EU should make more of an effort to convince countries outside of it to support Ukraine.
"The EU has fallen short when it comes to convincing and influencing third countries. The Russian economy is doing just fine in a situation where they are working with China, India and others. Like it or not, the situation shaping up today is that Russia is fighting the West, the EU and NATO, because other countries are contributing little or nothing at all. Everyone is on the same page when it's territorial integrity on the agenda in the UN, while the room clears as soon as someone suggests holding the aggressor accountable. The EU and NATO are alone in this matter," Kaljurand said.
The Reform Party's Andrus Ansip said that the EU should first understand that Russia cannot compete with it economically.
"We need to lay down the magnitudes first. If every EU member spent 2 percent of GDP on defense, it would amount to €400 billion. Russia needs to hike its spending from €85 billion to €100 billion. The Russian economy is tiny, roughly the size of Spain's. They cannot compete with the EU as a whole."
Ansip also suggested that the EU needs to make longer-term plans and commission weapons from the EU defense industry. Matters of strategic autonomy should also be tackled, creating capacity for self-provision in strategic fields. "We're not just short on shells, but also supercomputers, microchips, strategic materials etc. These are things the EU must address," the MEP said.
The Reform Party delegate remarked that the EU must become much stronger militarily.
Jana Toom (Center Party) said that Russia is preparing for war, while the EU is moving too slowly in defense terms.
"Looking at the Russian side – military spending of 6 percent of GDP, lowest unemployment rate in history, growth of 3.6 percent. It is a wartime economy, and if your economy relies on the military industry, you do not want the war to end. Russia is gearing up for war full steam ahead, while we're still complaining over whether we can. Russia manufactures three million shells every year, while the combined production of the EU and USA is 1.2 million. I'd say we're rapidly falling behind. It is very troubling. I don't know what the Americans will do, but it is clear that Europe must get up and get going – it was clear two years ago. We are already late," Toom said.
The Center Party MEP is skeptical when it comes to the effectiveness of Russia sanctions. She believes they are not working.
"Two Russian oligarchs escaped sanctions today not because they're opposed to the war, but because they're loaded. They hired top lawyers and cleared themselves. That is not normal. We need to pull money and labor away from Russia, instead of walling it in. It's foolish. We should foster export of luxury goods to Russia, let them buy their Ferraris and whatnot while we get paid. The way we've laid down our sanctions isn't really working. The oil price cap isn't working. We can see it, while we're still stuck in the same old concept, coming up with new packages. We need to pump labor and money out of Russia, instead of looking on as Russian oligarchs beat us in court."
Reform Party MEP Urmas Paet said that just like Russia must be convinced that the West is strong and will fight back, European societies that lie further away from Russia's borders must understand the war in Ukraine is a serious threat.
"This realization that the conflict very well may reach Western and Southern Europe, which many in Europe lack today, I say. This clearly affects governments and their decisions, why they're so modest (in helping Ukraine) also because there is no public opinion pressure," Paet added.
He said that there is a struggle of values in the world today in which the West should be more united.
"Russia is not alone in attacking Ukraine, waging hybrid war on the West and engaging in other kinds of ugliness. Russia has and continues to team up with China in many things. This is a good fit also for the latter as China is looking to reshape the world according to its values. Therefore, growing tensions between Russia and the West have Chinese backing. And in a situation where major authoritarian states are pooling their resources, the only thing that can offset it is if democratic countries do the same," Paet noted.
Jaak Madison, MEP for the Conservative People's Party (EKRE), said that European countries could do a lot more for security. The question is how long does Europe have until the threat of war becomes real.
"We all like to say that Europe is doing well and cannot do much more. But everyone who says this is the maximum we can do is lying. A promise from Germany to spend 2 percent of GDP on defense is far from being enough. While the German economy is on another level compared to Estonia or Finland, 2 percent is not enough for future needs," he said.
"It is a question of the time frame we're talking about. If we agree that Europe and Eastern Europe will be safe from war over the next 10-15 years, it may just be enough. But what if it will be two, three or four years? While we may plan to improve our defensive capacity, to manufacture a million shells... Germany has awoken and learned from its mistakes, but will it help us in the near perspective of a few years?" Madison asked.
"We can criticize Germany, Spain and France here in Estonia, in terms of what they're doing wrong – and they are – while we must also ask ourselves whether we're giving it our all. Are we trying to manage these risks and offset their omissions?"
SDE's Sven Mikser said that Europe should not be made out to be weak or hapless, while it is capable of spending more on defense than it currently does.
"It is regrettable when we talk down Europe, suggesting it is weak and feckless, and talk up Russia as a mystically strong country. Russia lacks this kind of strategic depth, even though they have managed to switch to a wartime economy and society. Europe is undoubtedly capable of spending more on defense. These expenses cannot be compared one for one or put in terms of dollars and euros, considering how the Russian military industry works. But the EU could do it," he said.
"Yes, the EU has been too slow, but to write off Europe, especially while suggesting we should go at it alone and compensate for what France, Germany and Spain won't do, is dangerous and the wrong path to take," Mikser added.
He also said that Europe should make more of an effort to get the rest of the world on its side.
"Yes, Russia has teamed up with China, Iran, North Korea. The EU and the West as a whole have lost allies over the last two years, especially following the events on Gaza. We should try to win the global public over to our side. I don't think we've lost the U.S. for good. America will eventually realize that protecting democracy outside its borders is in its direct security interests and not just a service to be offered to those willing to pay a fair price," Mikser suggested, adding that he does not share his colleagues' pessimism in terms of Western unity.
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Editor: Merili Nael, Marcus Turovski
Source: "Esimene stuudio"