Estonian Prime Minister calls to provide Ukraine with necessary weapons to counter Russian aggression
Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas (photo: Getty Images)
Western countries should assist Ukraine with all types and forms of weapons, as only this will help effectively repel Russian attacks. In particular, Kyiv should be provided with long-range missiles, states Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.
In her opinion, from a political perspective, the West should assist Ukraine with all available means and military equipment because this is the way Ukraine can truly resist the aggressor.
Kallas reminded that Estonia decided to provide annual assistance to Ukraine at a rate of 0.25% of its GDP for the next four years and appealed to allies to adopt a similar decision.
"Because if you think about the combined defense budgets of the Ramstein coalition, then they are much bigger than that of Russia's heavily inflated one. And if you just make a simple calculation of how much money Russia spends on war monthly, it's roughly 5.3 billion euros. But if you take the combined budgets and this 0.25% of GDP of all those Ramstein coalition countries, then it would be 120 billion. That would definitely turn the tide in the favor of Ukraine. But then, of course, the other question is the specific military equipment, and there I say that whatever you have that could help Ukraine win you should give," said the Estonian Prime Minister.
According to her, the absence of long-range weapons in Ukraine gives the aggressor an advantage in capturing more of its territories.
"So in order to make a difference, you have to have long-range weapons so that there is a calculation also on the Russian side that they might also hurt us, which means that maybe we will not take up this attack. If they think they can only win, then of course they don't count their own people and just continue," said the head of the Estonian government.
Kallas also noted that some Western countries are afraid of Russia's defeat and the consequences of such a development. In her opinion, the main task today is to end the war.
Zelenskyy's visit to Estonia and Ukraine's victory plan
On January 11, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an official visit to Estonia.
During a joint briefing, Estonian President Alar Karis stated that in the war of Russia against Ukraine, it is impossible to avoid strikes on the territory of the aggressor, so there should be no restrictions on the weapons transferred to Ukraine by partners.
Estonia has prepared a military strategy plan for Western countries to help Ukraine win the war. The plan is designed for three years.
Earlier, the head of the Estonian Defense Forces Intelligence Center, Ants Kiviselg, noted that Russia would continue to launch missiles at Ukraine because it fears the transfer of F-16 fighters to Ukraine.
