Estonian FM Tsahkna arrives in Kyiv, condemns Russian air strikes
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna arrived in Kyiv and visited the sites of Russian drone and missile strikes on civilian targets in the city.
"I am currently in Ukraine and see with my own eyes the results of the devastation that Russia is wreaking. Russia is continuing this destructive aggression not because of a lack of dialogue, but because it still believes it is on the path to success. Therefore, the pressure that is being put on Ukrainians here in Kyiv to make concessions is perceived as a betrayal. Estonia’s foreign policy will not change, and we will stand firm on our current principles, supporting Ukraine and opposing aggression," Tsahkna wrote on Facebook on Thursday, illustrating the message with photos of the destruction.
He stressed that Russia will continue to deceive anyone who hopes to force it to peace through negotiations until it is convinced that it will not be able to achieve its goals through military means. "Any concession offered to the Russians will lead to their new demands. In the European context, this means transferring Estonia’s security to Russia’s sphere of influence… The starting point of our actions is the understanding that Russia does not seek peace. This is proven by Russia’s continued military attacks in Ukraine, simultaneous participation in negotiations, or demands that Ukraine’s full acceptance of Russia’s terms be a prerequisite for peace. The Kremlin still believes that it can achieve its original goals. As long as this belief persists, Russia will not change its behavior," the Estonian foreign minister noted.
He recalled the lessons of the 1920 Treaty of Tartu and pointed out that it is still applicable today.
"Peace will come only when Russia understands the hopelessness of its strategy. The Estonian people are also critical of concessions. 82% of respondents to a public opinion poll on foreign policy disagree with the idea that Ukraine should cede territories under its control to Russia. The path to a just and lasting peace lies only through political, economic and military support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia. This is a firm principle of Estonian foreign policy… It is important that all people representing Estonian foreign policy confirm these principles," Tsahkna said.
The minister noted that Estonia has been stating since the beginning of the full-scale war that true peace will be achieved if the Russian Federation abandons its plan to destroy Ukraine and reorganize European security, which was the goal of the aggression. "We sensed the Russian threat even before the tanks began moving towards Ukraine, and sent military assistance to Kyiv weeks before February 24, 2022. Today, the allies recognize, unfortunately, at the cost of Ukrainian blood, that our warnings about the Russian threat should have been heeded earlier. Now the allies have listened to our messages when we said that concessions will not bring peace and that Russia only understands pressure," he stated.
