Foreign Affairs Committee: Estonia supports Ukraine and encourages allies to put pressure on Russia

Today, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) held a video conference with their colleagues from the Committee on Matters of Foreign Policy and Inter-parliamentary Cooperation of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine, who told them about the situation in Ukraine. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu assured their Ukrainian colleagues that Estonia would do all it can to persuade the allies to put further pressure on Russia and help Ukraine in every way possible.  

In the opinion of Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson, it is currently very important to keep in touch with each other and get information directly from the ground. “It is crucial that the West would not get tired. Ukraine will win this war and Estonia will do everything in its power to contribute to it,” Mihkelson said.

“You can always count on us,” Mihkelson assured his Ukrainian colleagues. “We want not only to show solidarity with Ukraine, but also to provide real help.” Mihkelson pointed out that several countries of the West were providing military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine to deter Russia’s aggression. He added that Estonia had given shelter to more than 20,000 war refugees and took care of them in the best possible way.

Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee Indrek Saar underlined that Estonia can raise the issue of supporting Ukraine at all international meetings and thus help Ukraine fight and win. “It is in the power of a small country to convince other countries why it is necessary to put pressure on Russia with sanctions,” Saar explained. “We have to persuade our allies to impose an embargo on Russia’s gas and oil.”

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Foreign Affairs Oleksandr Merezhko and members of the Committee Lisa Yasko, Mariia Ionova and Solomiia Bobrovska gave an overview of the situation in their country. They thanked Estonia for support and help, and assured that Ukraine would not surrender, but needed the assistance of Western countries to win the war.

Source: Parliament of Estonia