"The information we received from America yesterday — what can be considered the factual starting point of the negotiations — does not bode well, to be honest," Urmas Reinsalu said in an interview with ERR on Thursday. "This serves as a storm warning of potential future uncertainty for Europe, including Estonia, and means that instead of rhetoric, we must now act in real time," he added.

In addition to Estonia and the rest of Europe accelerating their armament efforts, European countries must quickly define their position for security-related negotiations with the current U.S. administration, Reinsalu emphasized. "It is crucial that we formulate a convincing European stance that will allow us to negotiate with the United States without delays," he said.

"I believe that our task is not to be discouraged by this initial negotiating move from the United States and not to take on a passive role or simply go along with this rhetoric. That would be extremely important. We must remain level-headed because, as we can see, these negotiations are going to be very tough in nature. And in such hard-edged negotiations, we must also have a strong starting position ourselves," continued the chairman of Isamaa.

To formulate such a position, Estonia, along with like-minded countries, could initiate an extraordinary European Council summit, Reinsalu suggested. "I would seriously consider Estonia, together with allied nations, proposing that in this altered situational environment, the European Council should convene without delay to plan the next steps. It should discuss, as thoroughly as possible, a common European position and also Europe's demands and approach. Because if we remain passive, we must acknowledge that this entails significant security risks for us. In reality, it also creates the danger of establishing a Minsk 3-style agreement framework, which, unfortunately, is not sustainable in terms of ensuring peace," he warned.

According to Reinsalu, Europe must find its center of gravity in the current situation. "And it cannot simply be political rhetoric — produced as talking points — but must demonstrate that Europe is ready to back its words with real action by providing additional support to Ukraine in real time. I believe that both Europe's psychological and tangible additional support for Ukraine are crucial," he stated.

Since, in Reinsalu's view, a permanent security arrangement for this region cannot be established without European representatives, Europe must actively participate in these negotiations. "As I said, these negotiations are expected to be very tough, and the United States has defined the starting point. The question is, what will Europe's response be? And of course, last night's Weimar+ declaration (referring to the joint statement made by Europe's major powers) does not carry enough weight," he remarked.

Reinsalu believes that the reshaping of Europe's security order has begun, and its outcomes could be deeply concerning. "Objectively, the risks are very high at the moment. Therefore, our response must be equally strong. And since the negotiation style has become rougher, our European stance must also be more convincing, openly expressing our interests — including those of Ukraine, which is a part of Europe," he said. "Do we consider it acceptable for Ukraine's NATO future to fade into nothingness? No, we do not! Do we believe that a credible security guarantee system can exist without U.S. involvement? No, we do not. These things must be declared not just rhetorically but backed by concrete actions," stressed the leader of Estonia's largest opposition party.

When asked about Estonia sending troops on a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine, Reinsalu responded that Estonia must, without question, be involved.

"There is no separate question here. But we must understand that this is the starting point of negotiations. Based on Estonia's position, we need to shape a common European position with like-minded countries to ensure that Europe is a participant in these talks. Only in this environment can we achieve a tangible outcome within the international framework. I urge the Estonian government to proceed from this premise, rather than shaping its position on the fly through the media space. Naturally, Estonia will not stand aside, but we must define and precisely determine what Europe's broader interest is, and use that as the basis for negotiations," he said regarding the peacekeeping issue.

Commenting on the possibility of signing a bilateral agreement with the U.S. to strengthen Estonia's security, Reinsalu acknowledged that Estonia's engagement with the U.S. is primarily driven by security concerns.

"And the closer our relations with the United States are in various fields of life, the better we can safeguard our vital security interests. That is in our best interests — there is no doubt about that. The presence of the United States and the use of additional security measures are in line with our security interests," he said. "But I will say this: In all potential proposals and diplomatic consultations, we must avoid creating an impression of panic or instability. Our steps must be backed by solid substance, our proposals must be well-argued and they must be mutually beneficial," he added.

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