Speaking to "Välisilm," the prime minister said that Estonia's main message to the EU is that both the bloc as a whole and individual member states must invest more in their own defense.

He said: "If we bear in mind where we stand [in Estonia], our message is quite influential."

"In its recent decisions, Estonia remains at the very peak of NATO in terms of defense contributions," he went on.

"Poland is ahead of us, we are second, then comes the U.S. in third in terms of contributions – which means that when we say we need to invest, we carry some weight," the prime minister continued.

"We understand our neighbors and must create mutual support," he noted.

This meant that the 2 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) going on defense spending per year as a minimum, the recommended NATO level though not met by all member states by any stretch, is out of date, the prime minister added.

"My proposal within NATO is that the agreed 2 percent of GDP level is no longer sufficient for defense spending; instead, the baseline minimum should be 2.5 percent. Hopefully, other states will follow suit, as the world has changed. And the message that the world's wealthiest and strongest region must invest more in its own defense is, in my opinion, quite appropriate. One does not necessarily need to hear that from Donald Trump; it can be grasped independently," he added.

As for Estonia itself, the country must invest in its own defense to as great an extent as necessary and, therefore, where required, boost defense spending levels.

The prime minister said Estonia's defense spending rose from 2.16 percent of GDP in 2022 to 3.4 percent this year, covering a €550 million security tax and €1.6 billion in munitions procurement for 2025-2031.

Michal stated that Estonia's defense spending could reach 3.6 to 4 percent, highlighting strong contributions and NATO's support in potential conflicts.

Prime Minister Michal warned that the coming months will be tough for Ukraine due to Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, stressing that ongoing Western aid and political uncertainties impact efforts to secure a just, lasting peace on Ukraine's terms.

"We create security for each other and together, and NATO must work for this purpose, and it works well," he added.

He also referenced the NATO leaders' meeting taking place in Estonia in mid-December, which will discuss Baltic, Nordic, and UK positions on NATO's future.

Michal criticized German Chancellor Scholz's recent phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as being ineffectual, stressing that aiding Ukraine with more support and weaponry is the real path to peace.

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