Prime Minister, dear Kristen,
Thank you very much, it is a great pleasure for me to meet with you once again here in Tallin.
It is very important for me to engage directly with all European leaders to properly prepare the upcoming meetings of the European Council.
This year my trip to Tallin follows my visit to Kyiv, marking my fifth journey to Ukraine since I took office. I understand, dear Kristen, the profound significance that Ukraine holds for the people of Estonia. Estonia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine from the very first day of the full-scale war.
At the European Union level, we have a robust strategy to support Ukraine:
- we are using the Support Loan to bolster Ukraine’s air defense and energy capacities ahead of winter
- we are forging strong security guarantees through the Coalition of the Willing
- we are ramping up pressure on Russia to push it to engage meaningfully in the peace process
- and we are advancing on Ukraine’s accession path to the European Union
I would like to thank you Kristen for your support to this and Estonia’s unwavering engagement on Ukraine.
This year, my visits to the capitals has a particular focus, as we are approaching one of the most consequential decisions for our future: the European Union’s long-term budget, for the period 2028-2034.
The world looks very different from when we agreed previously on the current budget. The next one must respond to new challenges, including the challenges faced by the Eastern border regions. That is why the structure and headings of the next budget will be completely different to the previous budgets.
We need to use the power of our budget to build a stronger Europe, investing in defence, security and competitiveness, while ensuring stable and effective funding for our Cohesion policy and the Common Agricultural Policy, which remain essential for our shared prosperity and balanced development.
In the face of today’s geopolitical challenges, Europe must decisively strengthen its strategic autonomy and its common defence. Estonia has long advocated for this, and your strong commitment to defence contributes to the security of Europe as a whole.
Let me conclude by thanking you, dear Kristen, for your constructive engagement and valuable perspective. I look forward to working together towards a stronger, more resilient and more secure Europe.
Thank you.