President Karis remarked that the people of Ukraine were fighting for their freedom for a second year. “Our friends are embroiled in the biggest and deadliest war that Europe has seen since World War II,” he noted. “Battles are not just being fought on the frontline, either: Russia’s drone and rocket attacks are killing people and causing destruction throughout the country.”
The head of state added that although the Ukrainians had demonstrated extraordinary bravery in driving the enemy from Kyiv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Sumy and Kharkiv, the task before Ukraine remained a difficult one and it would take time to push the enemy back beyond the country’s borders. “Putin’s army is spread across a fifth of Ukrainian territory, having dug in deep and hidden itself behind minefields,” he said. “Although Russia has a lot of metal at its disposal and plenty of people to send into battle, the Ukrainians will always have the advantage on the battlefield because of their courage, dedication and righteousness.”
President Karis said that just as Ukraine would never tire from its fight for freedom, neither would Estonia tire of helping the country. “I am proud that alongside the state, so many people in Estonia have supported and continue to support Ukraine and the Ukrainians,” he said. “But we must not rest on that satisfaction or allow ourselves to become idle. Together we must halt the advance of the Russian war machine, since it will not stop at Ukraine. We must also continue to set an example to our allies, who have more ammunition at their disposal and whose fighter jets and missiles are so sorely needed by the Ukrainians.”
The head of state added that other countries around the world needed to be convinced that a compassionate desire to broker peace must not be allowed to come at the cost of Ukraine’s own interests. “If it did, we would be selling out our own principles and everything on which international law is based,” he warned.
To mark Ukrainian Independence Day, a flag-raising ceremony was held in front of the Office of the President of the Republic in Kadriorg with diplomats and members of the local Ukrainian community in attendance.
