President Karis: NATO is strong when both the US and Europe are strong within NATO

At the request of President Alar Karis, the National Defence Council convened today to discuss Estonia's foreign and security policy steps in the current tense climate. Following the meeting, the head of state underscored the importance of unity between NATO and allied countries and the need to bolster the alliance's defence capabilities.

President Karis noted that with winter approaching, Russia is escalating its aggression on the Ukrainian front in an attempt to sow panic or a mood of surrender among the people of the beleaguered nation. "We have also seen the first attacks with new types of ballistic missiles," he added, "and attacks for the purpose of sabotage remain a threat. We have no alternative but to support Ukraine even more in order to force Russia to stop the war, and we must do this with our allies - because there is no reason for us to deviate from our current course. Rather it is the right time to increase pressure."

The head of state said that a Ukrainian peace summit is being planned and that more and more voices are being heard from around the world calling for negotiations. "But what is there to negotiate?" he asked. "That remains unclear. After all, Russia is demanding that Ukraine be handed to it on a platter and that NATO withdraw to its 1997 borders. In short, it is demanding complete capitulation."

President Karis stressed the importance of Ukrainian membership of NATO. "The security guarantees that the alliance provides are the only ones that can keep a true and lasting peace," he said. "Within NATO we decided 16 years ago that Ukraine's place was in the alliance. Now is the time to extend a formal invitation to the country."

Speaking about cooperation between allies, the head of state emphasised that NATO is strong when it has a strong transatlantic axis of power, which is to say when both the US and Europe are strong within the alliance. "There is no alternative to a US-European powerhouse defending the democratic security space spanning the Atlantic," he stated. "That means a visible US military presence in Europe, but also that we ourselves must bear more of the burden for our own security, as well as for transatlantic security."

President Karis acknowledged the Estonian government's efforts to raise defence spending to close to 4% in the years ahead and to allocate 1.6 billion euros for the procurement of ammunition. "But given recent NATO troop requirements, it is clear that we will have to start talking about more than that in due course, possibly even 5%," he warned. "Building up independent defence capabilities is not a one-off undertaking, but an ongoing one."

Prime Minister Kristen Michal says Russia is engaged in a hybrid war against Europe which is not only continuing but growing more serious. "We have been saying for some time now that NATO's target of 2% is too low," he noted. "If we want Europe to be taken seriously, and to be properly protected, our collective aim must be to increase our defence spending to at least 2.5% or 3% of GDP. That is what I will be advocating at the Hague Summit, which I confirmed to the members of the National Defence Council today."

The head of government added that with yet another incident involving underwater infrastructure causing tensions, joint efforts and cooperation with allies are a crucial guarantee of security. "Attacks on infrastructure have a broad-ranging impact on national economies, which is why we need to do more collectively to defend it," he urged. "We need to improve monitoring and situational awareness in order to reduce vulnerabilities."

Prime Minister Michal says that both Estonian and partner agencies are doing a good job of ensuring security. "I am pleased to be able to say that Estonia has coped well with the crises it has faced so far, but since security is a concern for us all, we must all contribute to it," he said. "That requires every individual, every local government, every state authority to put in an effort. One of the priorities we have formulated in the government pertains to the capabilities of the defence industry: the war in Ukraine has shown how important it is to have a strong defence industry of your own, one which is not dependent on anyone else. And in the coming years we will be procuring 1.6 billion euros' worth of ammunition, added to the 5.6 billion euros we are already spending."

The National Defence Council is an advisory body to the President of the Republic which regularly convenes on the invitation of the head of state. Its members are the President of the Riigikogu, the Prime Minister, the Chairmen of the National Defence Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu, government ministers and the Commander of the Defence Forces. The council discusses and expresses its opinions on key issues from the point of view of national defence.

Full text of President Karis' press statement

Gallery (Office of the President of the Republic/Raigo Pajula): https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBSV2f

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