Michal said this applied to other NATO states as well as Estonia, in an interview given to "Aktuaalne Kaamera."

From whose expenses will the increase in defense spending be covered?

Primarily from the state budget. This means we need to review where we spend our money, make cuts elsewhere, and reassess various government activities – which we are already doing.

And we will likely have to borrow, either as a state or by using EU-centralized loans.

Europe has plans to take out a €150 billion loan. The conditions for this are being clarified, and we will be able to utilize that loan, or take out one ourselves.

What forecast has the chief of defense given? What is the deadline by which we must be ready?

The public discussion mentions six months to two years.

I can say publicly that, as the defense commander has stated, at any moment when there is a pause in military operations in Ukraine – and such a pause seems to be approaching and might last longer – Russia will start repositioning its forces, which will certainly increase the risk for the Baltic states, other European countries, and NATO members. This means we must do everything necessary as quickly as possible.

What is the time frame for that?

The time frame is that within a year or two after any hiatus, we must be very well prepared.

Do the decisions discussed today as well as the earlier decisions cover needs in terms of deadlines and weaponry?

If Estonia invests more than 5 percent of its GDP into defense, that alone may not be enough for the first few years, even if all procurement succeeds and all weapons get ordered and delivered.

So, we will spend even more to begin with, but I believe this will create confidence among our people and send a message to our adversaries that Estonia takes its defense very seriously from the outset and is capable of taking the fight to enemy territory.

But the issue is not on Estonia's side – no matter how many weapons we have – if Putin does not change his goals and still seeks to seize the sovereignty and territory of other countries by force, then the risk from Russia remains present for the Nordic countries, the Baltic states, and across Europe.

Is Estonia changing its defense plans, considering what has been happening in the U.S. and President Donald Trump's plans?

So far as the U.S. goes, as far as I have been in contact with decision-makers and those who have recently discussed NATO issues with Trump, the message is that Trump does not plan to abandon NATO commitments, he respects Article 5, but he expects Europe to contribute more to its own defense – so Estonia is doing just that.

And are we redirecting armament plans elsewhere, so that suppliers are not from the U.S. but from other places?

That is something we cannot discuss publicly. Let the Russian embassy do its job on its own.

What should reservists and the rest of society bear in mind, as we prepare for war or for its prevention, and at an accelerated pace?

The same philosophy that the Finns have been following for years – there is no need to be scared, but we have to be prepared.

This means that the entire society, free citizens of a free country, must defend their freedoms, themselves. Everyone has to be ready for that. We are investing more in defense, ordering more weapons, but without the contribution of free citizens, the Defense League, business, and the public, this cannot be achieved. This means we must do it together.

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