The meeting between the Estonian head of state and the American senators, who are visiting NATO’s European allies, focused on security issues, the impact of the war in Ukraine and the cementing of trans-Atlantic relations.
President Karis underscored the importance of the presence of US troops in Estonia and highlighted the steps that have been taken so far to bolster European security. “Transatlantic relations are critical to Europe’s security,” he remarked. “It is very important that the American flag is visible in Europe, since it reassures our allies and serves as an effective deterrent against Russian aggression.”
The head of state stressed that although conflicts are raging around the world, the most acute threat for Estonia and the region as a whole is Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. “I have personally visited Ukraine a number of times now and seen the severe impact of the war with my own eyes,” he explained. “It is our duty to support the Ukrainians – not just militarily and politically, but also in terms of reconstruction and reforms, even while the war is ongoing. Sanctions against Russia are vital, but they are only effective if they work.”
President Karis says that Russia poses a threat not just to Ukraine, but to the wider region and to Europe as a whole. “Thankfully, Finland and Sweden are now members of NATO, which significantly boosts the strength of our common defence, and the defence of the entire region,” he added.
The development of Estonia’s defence capabilities and the role of allies were also discussed during the meeting. President Karis noted that in addition to defending itself, Estonia has chosen to make a significant contribution to collective defence, as reflected in the fact that the country’s defence spending will soon amount to 5.4% of GDP. “Estonia is one of the first allies to have set itself the target of raising defence spending to the 5% level agreed at the NATO summit in the Hague,” he pointed out. “In doing so, we are backing President Trump’s call for Europe to do more. It is a strong signal to our allies, and a way of convincing everyone to make a greater contribution. Europe had grown used to living in peace, but the alarm bell has long since rung out, and the vast majority of European countries are taking security ever more seriously.”
The head of state says that the future calls for a long-term containment policy in regard to Russia. “Our historical experience shows that Russia will only retreat if pressured into doing so by force,” he explained. “That is why the West’s political and military support for Ukraine must be ramped up. We appreciate the US-led initiatives to that end.”
President Karis nevertheless added that peace in Ukraine cannot be the ultimate goal. “We here in Estonia recognise the security threat in Russia’s imperialist aims, which we see being played out in Ukraine today,” he cautioned. “If we fail to contain Russia, and to drive it back, it may look for new ways to pursue its imperialist ambitions in our region, and possibly beyond. Its long-term goal is to change the world order and the principles on which the world operates – which must not be allowed to happen. We must also act together to put pressure on those who are enabling Russia to wage its war.”
In addition to defence and security issues, the senators demonstrated an interest in Estonia’s experience as a digital state. President Karis recounted the country’s success story in fostering the e-state and described the AI Leap programme launching in schools this autumn, which is designed to take technology education to a new level.
The US senators taking part in the meeting were John Thune, Jim Banks, John Curtis, David McCormick, Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted. Led by Senate Majority Leader Thune, they formed the highest-level and most important US Congressional delegation in recent years.
Gallery: Raigo Pajula/Office of the President of the Republic https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCrYLo
