"Following the Munich Security Conference, there have been various contacts, statements, and different messages. Estonia's position has been described in the daily press, but to make it clear and reiterate: we stand for Ukraine remaining as strong as possible. It is clear that the dictator and aggressor is Putin's Russia and his regime," Michal said at the weekly press conference following the government's meeting.

"For us, there is no need to explain some alternative truth that is not the truth. It is clear that Putin is a dictator, Putin is an aggressor, Putin is a war criminal, Putin is the one who launched the aggression — Ukraine certainly did not. There is no point in engaging in a debate over that. What President Trump also said yesterday in his tweets simply does not correspond to reality, and we know that," Tsahkna added.

On Tuesday, Trump accused Ukraine of starting the full-scale invasion. Zelenskyy replied that Trump lives in a world of misinformation. On Wednesday Trump claimed Zelenskyy is a dictator.

Support for Ukraine continues

Michal added that Estonia, along with other European countries, is working in the coming weeks and months to accelerate the procurement and delivery of weapons, equipment, and financial aid to Ukraine so that Kyiv can withstand the current pressure from Russia. He stressed, for Estonia, it is crucial that all matters concerning Europe can only be discussed by Europe and that discussions about Ukraine must include Ukraine.

"Our task is to ensure real military support for Ukraine, both now and in the long term. Estonia will soon put its decisions on the table, as will many other allies. I expect that military support for Ukraine will be increased soon, allowing Ukraine to continue fighting if it chooses to," Tsahkna said.

The foreign minister also discussed financial aid to Ukraine, which he said amounts to hundreds of billions across Europe.

Tsahkna said EU foreign ministers will soon discuss a proposal from EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas about how member states can provide military aid to Ukraine without requiring unanimous approval from all 27 member states.

Additionally, discussions have resumed on Estonia's two-year-old proposal to use Russia's frozen assets in Europe, which amount to around €300 billion, the foreign minister noted.

Both the prime minister and the foreign minister stressed the importance of sanctions against Russia, their continuation, and the need to strengthen them further.

Michal: NATO protection is working

The prime minister specifically emphasized that Estonia's security is still ensured through its NATO membership: "In uncertain times, it is very important to remember that Estonia's security is guaranteed, NATO is functioning well."

Michal noted that shortly before the Baltic states were preparing to disconnect from the common electricity grid with Russia, the situation was tense, and support from NATO was needed.

He explained that after he and the president of Finland reached out to the NATO secretary-general and military communications were established, Operation Baltic Sentinel was launched in the Baltic Sea. "So, everything that is very important to us is being closely monitored," he said.

Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets (SDE), who was also at the press conference, said: "Regardless of what the major powers decide, I believe that we will manage under these conditions as well."

He said other countries will need to reorient themselves in light of the U.S.'s new position.

"This means that while we previously relied heavily on the U.S. in many matters, now the United Kingdom remains in that circle, and Canada's role will likely increase, possibly Australia and Japan as well, along with other similar countries. So, we are likely to see a geopolitical and security policy realignment in Europe. Perhaps new axes of cooperation will emerge in response to all this," Läänemets speculated.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!