NATO has to set Ukraine's victory in the war as a goal - Estonian Prime Minister
NATO needs to set Ukraine's victory in the war as a goal. Allies have to provide Ukraine with sufficient military support, says Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
"The price we pay in supporting Ukraine in its efforts to defeat Russian imperialism is little compared to what would follow if aggression pays off. And we have to set victory as a goal," she said.
According to the Estonian Prime Minister, the war in Ukraine is crucial for the security of the entire transatlantic community. Therefore, an allied commitment to long-term support for Ukraine is needed.
"Estonia is spending 0.25% of our GDP on military assistance to Ukraine over the next four years. If all the allies did the same, that would provide enough military assistance for Ukraine to win the war," Kallas said.
She also added that all elements of the aid should also be seen as strengthening support for Ukraine on its path to membership.
"The key lesson we learned from the recent decades is that gray areas are sources of conflict. And our duty is to continue the process with Ukraine's NATO membership," she said.
Kallas will become EU's chief diplomat
The European Union will change its leadership in the coming days. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will be appointed as the head of European diplomacy, replacing Josep Borrell.
Kallas is often called the Iron Lady of Estonia, and in Europe, she is one of the main opponents of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Kallas actively supports Ukraine. Estonia has decided to allocate more than 0.2% of its GDP to help Ukraine over the next four years.
Read more about who will head the main European institutions and how this will affect Ukraine in the RBC-Ukraine article.