On the contrary, the union must increasingly evolve and be creative, understandable, and supportive to of its citizens, the head of state said in his Europe Day address which follows.

Peace in the world cannot be defended without creative efforts which are proportionate to burgeoning threats, so said France's foreign minister, Robert Schuman, on May 9, 1950, as he proposed the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community.

The community's founding members were countries that had fought on opposing sides in World War Two. Thus, Schuman's declaration laid the foundation for our modern-day EU.

The message of May 9 as Europe Day is a simple one, then: A Europe without wars, a peaceful Europe, relies on European unity and the readiness to defend that unity.

The EU, as an anti-war concept, has been successful in maintaining peace within its borders.

Since World War Two, no single EU country has fought another EU nation, and no one has made a military attack on us in Europe.

However, all of this requires a continuous effort from us. The re-use Robert Schuman's phrase, of creative endeavor and the readiness to deal with looming threats. If we can manage to do that, we will continue to be successful here in Europe.

A peaceful Europe relies on freedom and democracy. It all starts with the freedom of individuals and nations to make their own choices, including those which determine their membership in international organizations, including the EU.

It is a tragedy that this very freedom is what the Kremlin regime seeks to stifle in Ukraine, which it is trying to destroy with Russian tanks and missiles, Iranian-made drones, North Korean-made shells, and even with nuclear threats.

The present times demand our effort to end the war in Europe.

This means making efforts to help Ukraine defend its freedoms on the battlefield. Russia imposed this brutal war on Ukraine. No one should impose an unjust peace on that country.

Without standing up for freedom in Europe, we lose Europe as we know it.

Freedom draws strength from confidence and responsibility, not from fear and uncertainty.

Russia is a neighbor to the entire EU; not only that, but also to all of NATO. We must continue to remind any potential aggressor that we are prepared and capable of defending ourselves in a manner that would devastate a would-be attacker.

Europe is not afraid.

We know that it is safe within the EU, and we see how insecure it is to remain outside, in the gray zone, in geopolitical dead ground.

The war crimes committed by Vladimir Putin, his generals, and his army in Ukraine anger us. However, this righteous anger must not turn into collective blaming of any community here.

Estonia can accommodate diverse opinions and nationalities, as long as we share the same Schuman-like values and are all compatriots to one another.

This too is the essence of Europe and our freedom.

We are Europe. Let us bear this in mind as we listen to the European Parliament election debates and decide, in early June, whom to elect to the European Parliament.

Our choice, along with the citizens of 26 other member states, is part of a decision on the kind of EU we want and need.

The EU can be neither stagnant water nor a petri dish for bureaucracy. On the contrary, our union must increasingly evolve and create, remain focused on science and education, and be empathetic towards and supportive of its citizens.

The EU demands from us a creative effort, exactly as the preservation of freedom always does. The strength of Europe is indeed its freedom.

Head Euroopa päeva, Eesti!

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