The Estonian head of state praised the contributions of the German air force personnel stationed in Ämari and the German navy on the Baltic Sea and acknowledged the excellent bilateral defence cooperation between Estonia and Germany.
President Karis described the Zeitenwende – the shift in Germany’s security and defence policy recently declared by its government – and the significant increase in defence spending resulting from it as historical. “NATO-wide readiness is one of Estonia’s priorities as well, since in our estimation the threat of aggression is unlikely to recede any time soon,” he added.
The head of state highlighted the proportion of German military assistance being provided to Ukraine, which is second only to that of the United States, and the major contribution being made by Germany to the assistance being given to the Ukrainians within the framework of the European Union. “We must act together as one in NATO and the EU to ensure that Europe’s defence industry is capable not only of sustainably supporting the counteroffensive which is currently underway in Ukraine, but also rebuilding our own formidable defensive capabilities,” he said. “Here, once again, there can be no question that Germany plays the key role.”
