Kivimägi urged European countries to increase defence spending and aid to Ukraine

“Our priority should be to strengthen Ukraine’s position—both at peace negotiations and in ensuring long-term security. For this, we need to increase military support to Ukraine,” Kivimägi emphasised. He highlighted the fact that Estonia is directing 0.25 percent of its GDP into military aid to Ukraine until 2027 and invited other countries to follow this lead.

The Vice-President of the Riigikogu stressed the need to increase defence spending. “Yes, this means less roads and sports facilities but more security. Ukraine’s experience makes it clear that security must be the priority number one for every European country,” he said. Kivimägi told the participants of the Conference that Estonia had decided to raise its defence spending to over 5 percent of the GDP from next year.

He called on countries to use Russia’s frozen assets for the benefit of Ukraine. “The Register of Damage for Ukraine, created by the Council of Europe, is a key tool here,” he said. Kivimägi confirmed Estonia’s continued commitment to creating a special tribunal, in order to prosecute Russia’s leadership for the crime of aggression.

In his speech, Kivimägi emphasised that we needed to increase voter turnout and encourage the introduction of innovative voting methods to strengthen our democracy. He shared Estonia’s online voting experiences from the past 20 years, which has increased the turnout among younger voters, and added that Estonia planned to implement mobile voting this year.

Other main topics of the Conference of PACE Speakers are ensuring freedom of speech and violence against politicians.

The Conference, which concludes on Friday, brings together speakers and heads of parliamentary delegations from the member states of the Council of Europe and its partner and observer countries.

Riigikogu Press Service

Merje Meisalu
Phone: +372 631 6300, +372 529 9512
E-mail: merje.meisalu@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Kivimägi urged European countries to increase defence spending and aid to Ukraine

Source: Parliament of Estonia