Speaking to ETV show "Välisilm" on Monday evening, the minister said: "Unfortunately, it is really the case that Orban has started 'batting for the opposing team' on this particular matter."

"I think he is speaking to his own voters in Hungary, and so is far removed from what we have agreed upon in Europe," Tsahkna added.

As to the EU's limited ability to act against Hungary, given that it currently holds the EU presidency, the minister responded, "There is still something we can do."

"The EU Treaty's Article 7 procedure has been initiated, which may result in the suspension of a member state's voting rights."

"I am certainly not optimistic on this though, because it requires the consent of all 26 other member states, though at least we want right now to to create a situation in the near future whereby 21 countries can move forward with this process."

"However, this [action on the part of Hungary] doesn't do anything good. Although [EU] policy hasn't changed directly, Orbán has managed to block several important decisions. For example, the allocation of funds from the European Peace Facility, although we were able to find a solution, and to transfer to Ukraine €1.5 billion from the profits arising from frozen Russian assets, a process spearheaded by Estonia. But certainly, such solo actions, with a completely different rhetoric, which Orbán has been doing, will not make us stronger," the foreign minister added.

Ukraine has to decide on its own peace terms

The minister also spoke about Ukraine's ongoing operations in Russia's Kursk oblast.

He said: "Ukraine had no other choice but to undertake this risky military operation in Kursk, and they have been very successful with it.

"Certainly this raised the hopes of the Ukrainian people. But it also showed the West and really Putin as well that they are capable of waging war successfully," the minister noted.

He added that the forces Ukraine is using in Kursk would not have succeeded had they instead been deployed to the eastern front, in the Donetsk oblast, given the strength of Russian defenses there.

"A maneuver like the one now in Kursk, and possibly elsewhere in the future, was the only option and of course it was also needed that the war be brought onto Russian territory and into their rear," he continued.

The minister also expressed Estonia's desire for western countries to lift all restrictions on the use of western-made weapons by Ukraine. "Ukraine cannot fight with its hands tied behind its back and yet win this war," he said.

Tsahkna predicted that various peace initiatives to end the war will start emerging in the autumn, and called for vigilance.

"We have to be very careful that nothing gets sold out during this process," he stressed.

 He added that it is also in Estonia's interest to support the fifth point in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's peace plan, which concerns the principle of territorial integrity. "This is very important to us, and of course to Ukraine, to ensure that the peace plan does not undermine it," he noted.

"What we surely do not want, be it initiated by Donald Trump or anyone else, is for any deal to be forced upon the Ukrainians. Or crazier still, if deals get made over their heads or even over Europe's heads, something which had in some ways happened during the previous peace conference, where Europe got sidelined somewhat," Tsahkna added

Europe and the U.S.

Commenting on the situation in Germany, where pro-Russian extremist parties have seen significant success in two federal states, and in France, where a new prime minister and government have still not been named, weeks after the election, Tsahkna acknowledged that the tense security environment, economic difficulties, and immigration issues have led people to vote for extreme parties.

However, this has not yet affected the foreign policies of either of those two key western European nations, Tsahkna added.

"Speaking for myself as Estonia's foreign minister, I am right now relatively calm about Germany and France's foreign and security policies, particularly regarding their support for Ukraine," he said.

At the same time, he expressed a similar view regarding the situation in the U.S., where, most notably Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has made statements which are of concern in Estonia.

This may be electioneering, the minister noted.

"The rhetoric in the run up to elections is always more intense as it's aimed at swaying the final unpledged voters, so therefore it has to be more extreme," Tsahkna explained.

"But the U.S. certainly has its own interests, and those will remain. The style may change, but it is definitely not in Trump's interest for the war in Ukraine to drag on."

The minister confirmed that Estonia maintains communication with both and all U.S. parties. "We will continue to pursue our U.S. policy, and our interests remain the same, regardless of who wins the presidential election."

Tsahkna also stated that U.S. interests would not change after the presidential election and that Ukraine and Russia would remain at the top of the U.S. agenda.

He added that relations with Europe are also a priority for the U.S., as the country cannot economically thrive without Europe.

Recognition of Palestine

Commenting on the vote at the UN General Assembly this past May, where Estonia supported a resolution which elevates the status of Palestine as an observer state within the international organization and calls for granting it full member status, Tsahkna said that he still considers Palestinian recognition premature.

"I don't think it's needed for the government to recognize Palestine at this time. However, we sent a very clear message during the UN resolution vote on Palestine, in which we usually remain neutral. This time, we clearly supported Palestine gaining more influence within the UN, not as a full member, but with a voice," the foreign minister said.

"I think that these processes will continue, and hopefully in a direction which opens up the possibility for negotiations and makes the two-state solution a reality," he added.

According to the minister, this process needs to go ahead step by step, given the conflict in that region is currently still highly intense.

"Second, we need to be sure about what will happen with regard to the Palestinian state. As of today, Israel has shown no desire to start negotiations and tensions are still very high, to the point where hostages were killed just ahead of a potential handover. So the situation is complex," he added.

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