Jüri Ratas and Sanna Marin discussed security

NordenBladet —

President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Jüri Ratas discussed issues relating to the security of our region and defence cooperation as well as giving military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine with Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin, who was on a visit to Tallinn today.

“Bilateral relations between our countries and parliaments have traditionally been close and warm, as they are also now,” Ratas said. “At critical times, it is especially important that we stand together, meet as much as possible and talk to each other.”

Both Ratas and Marin think that in today’s changed security situation, it is important to enhance the defence capability of countries. The Prime Minister of Finland said that Finland planned to increase its defence budget. She also pointed out that the attitude of the Finnish people towards NATO membership had become more supportive.

Ratas underlined that all members of the European Union had to support Ukraine in different ways. According to him, Estonia has given Ukraine humanitarian aid and military aid in the amount of 200 million euro this year. Ratas acknowledged and thanked Finland for their historical decision to grant military aid to Ukraine.  

Ratas said that Estonia had established a simplified procedure for border crossing for citizens of Ukraine. He added that by now, more than a thousand Ukrainian refugees had reached Estonia and around 300 of them were children. Most of the refugees stay with their relatives and acquaintances.

The President of the Riigikogu noted that Estonia supported granting Ukraine the status of a candidate country for accession to the European Union, taking into account the conditions of accession and in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union. “Ukraine is a European country that is fighting for European values on the battlefront,” Ratas said.

Both Ratas and Marin highlighted Europe’s unity and solidarity in imposing economic sanctions against Russia, and acknowledged that signs of their impact were already being felt. They also considered it important to fight against disinformation. Ratas thinks that national TV channels have an instrumental role here, and he added that Estonia had banned the broadcasting of Russian propaganda channels.

Member of the Estonia-Finland Parliamentary Friendship Group and Deputy Chairman of the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu Leo Kunnas said that many Ukrainians who were living and working in Estonia had returned to their homeland to fight against the aggressor. Kunnas also expressed concern about worsening of the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Chair of the Estonia-Finland Parliamentary Friendship Group Helmen Kütt, who participated in the meeting, emphasised the excellent bilateral parliamentary relations and expressed hope that they would continue also in the current situation.

Information on the current state of the corona pandemic was also exchanged at the meeting. Marin and Ratas admitted that the numbers of infections were dropping and hoped that this trend would continue. The also think that we are better prepared for next outbreaks and there will no longer be extensive lockdowns.

Photos of the meeting Erik Peinar, Chancellery of the Riigikogu

Source: Parliament of Estonia