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“Europe must do its utmost to fill the gap left by America in supporting Ukraine and strengthening its defence capability,” Hussar underlined. “Europe can do more and must do more. Europe needs to understand that it is not just a Single Market, it is and it must start to behave as a military force,” Hussar said at the meeting with President of the Senate of France Gérard Larcher.
“Our common aim is to provide Ukraine a position of strength for the negotiations that must guarantee a just and lasting peace for the Ukrainian people. In doing so, we need to exert maximum pressure on Russia, which means military assistance to Ukraine, sanctions against Russia and urgent actions to use Russia’s frozen assets,” Hussar said.
The discussions also focused on strengthening the defence capability of Europe. At the meeting with the representatives of the French Parliament, it was pointed out that Europe needed to invest significantly more into defence, and hope was expressed that important decisions would be made in this regard at the European Council on Thursday. “Estonia is doing its part – currently our defence spending is 3.4% of GDP, and we are heading towards 5%,” Hussar noted.
The President of the Riigikogu said that France was an important partner and ally for Estonia, and acknowledged the contribution of France to collective defence, especially their participation in NATO Multinational Battlegroup in Tapa, Estonia
Hussar met with President of the National Assembly of France Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the Senate of France Gérard Larcher and several members of the French Parliament, including members of the France-Estonia parliamentary friendship group. Yesterday, Hussar visited a sitting of the National Assembly, and today, a sitting of the Senate of France. Further support to Ukraine and the security of Europe were discussed at both sittings. He also visited MBDA, one of France’s largest defence industry companies, and participated in a discussion on the relations between the United States and France together with experts. At the Embassy of Estonia, Hussar had a meeting with Estonians living in France.
The President of the Riigikogu was accompanied on the visit by Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu Marko Mihkelson, Chairman of the Estonia-France Parliamentary Friendship Group Andres Sutt and member of the Estonia-France Parliamentary Friendship Group Tõnis Lukas.
Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)
Riigikogu Press Service
Merilin Kruuse
+372 631 6592; +372 510 6179
merilin.kruuse@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: Hussar in France: Europe needs to do more to support Ukraine
Source: Parliament of Estonia