“We must teach the history of our nations more in order to avoid the spread of false propaganda and misunderstandings caused by brainwashing,” said the Estonian president. “Those who know history are destined to not repeat its mistakes and build a better future.”
Icelandic President Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson gave a talk at the University of Iceland about support for the independence of the Baltic States. The speakers also included the heads of state of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
During the official ceremony in Höfði House in Reykjavik, President Karis expressed his gratitude to Icelanders for their courage in being the first to recognise the independence of the Baltic States 31 years ago. Karis emphasised that today it is Ukraine that needs our support. “Iceland supported us 31 years ago when we restored our independence and is now contributing to Ukraine, which is currently fighting for its freedom,” said President Karis.
The Estonian head of state recalled the positive changes in the air in Europe 31 years ago. “We hoped that toppling the walls of the old order would pave the way to a secure and more unified Europe. Unfortunately, we are now witnessing another brutal aggression against a sovereign state. We condemn it and pledge to cooperate to stop the Russian aggression,” said Karis. He noted that the crisis also strengthens NATO, as Finland and Sweden’s accession has a significant impact on the security of the region.
In addition to the Baltic presidents and their spouses, the ceremony was attended by the foreign ministers of Iceland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and the mayors of the capital cities of all four countries. The official ceremony was followed by the signing of a joint declaration of foreign ministers. The declaration covers cooperation between Iceland and the Baltic States in international organisations in defending a world order based on the rule of law and their support for Ukraine.
In the afternoon, the Baltic presidents met with Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir on the island of Viðey, with whom they spoke about opportunities for supporting Ukraine. In the evening, the heads of state attended a tour at Hellisheið power plant to see first-hand how green energy is produced and visited Þingvellir National Park.
Photos: Office of the President of Iceland
