According to the Estonian foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, Estonia had three goals for the NATO summit in Washington and they were all achieved.
On 10 July, the NATO summit declaration was adopted in Washington, DC, and its decisions constitute crucial steps on helping Ukraine to victory, Ukraine’s NATO membership and reinforcing the Alliance’s defence and deterrence posture.
“Going to Washington, Estonia had three clear goals and the joint statement of the summit marks all three,” Tsahkna said in a statement.
Most importantly, a robust support package for Ukraine was adopted, with the allies reaffirming continued long-term military assistance and NATO’s leadership in coordinating this assistance. It was agreed in Washington that the military assistance of allies to Ukraine will be at least €40 billion a year; NATO would assume a leading role in training Ukrainian soldiers; and the interoperability of Ukraine and the alliance would be improved. It was also affirmed that Ukraine was on an irreversible path towards NATO membership.
“All these decisions will contribute to Ukraine’s victory in the war and their advance on the path to NATO accession,” Tsahkna said. “We are sending a clear message to Moscow that our support to Ukraine remains unwavering, that the alliance’s open-door policy will continue and Ukraine has the right to choose its security arrangements.”
NATO to remain focused on blocking Russia’s aggression
Tsahkna said that, by fighting Russia’s aggression, Ukraine was directly contributing to the security of the Euro-Atlantic region and therefore, every decision that the allies take on supporting Ukraine reinforced their own security.
It was also reaffirmed at the summit that since Russia posed a direct and long-term threat to the alliance, NATO would remain focused on blocking and fighting Russia’s aggressive actions.
The decisions of the summit also concern the prioritisation of the rapid development of NATO capabilities and the reinforcement of transatlantic defence industry cooperation to ensure the applicability of NATO’s defence plans.
Representing the Estonian foreign ministry at the summit, undersecretary Kyllike Sillaste-Elling said that in Washington, Estonia repeatedly raised the need for increased defence spending, and we would continue to work towards setting the new target of the alliance at a minimum of 2.5 per cent of GDP.
“We do not have the luxury of waiting,” Sillaste-Elling said. “NATO must reinforce its defence posture and this requires an increase in defence spending.”
