The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, visited Estonia on 9 June, meeting the Estonian president, Alar Karis, before joining the prime ministers of the Nordic and Baltic countries for a summit on Ukraine, defence and European security; Estonian World streamed the joint press conference with Zelenskyy and the Nordic-Baltic leaders live from Tallinn.
Estonia hosted the Nordic-Baltic Eight summit during its presidency of the regional cooperation format. The summit focused on Ukraine’s defence capabilities, pressure on Russia, European security, competitiveness, artificial intelligence and regional security. According to the Estonian government, the Nordic and Baltic countries have provided more than €42 billion in support to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, making the region’s contribution the largest in the world per capita.
Estonian World streamed the joint press conference with Zelenskyy and the Nordic-Baltic leaders live from Tallinn at the conclusion of the summit; the press conference begins at the 18-minute mark of the video.
Before the NB8 summit, Zelenskyy met Karis
Before attending the Nordic-Baltic Eight summit, Zelenskyy met Karis at Kadriorg, where the two presidents discussed Estonia-Ukraine cooperation, Ukraine’s path towards the European Union and NATO, the future of European security, Russia’s responsibility for aggression and war crimes, the return of Ukrainian children deported by Russia and ways to increase pressure on Moscow.
After the meeting, Karis said Ukraine’s place was in the EU and NATO and called for the rapid opening of all clusters in the EU-Ukraine accession negotiations.
“Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and NATO is not a distant hope for the Ukrainian people but a justified expectation,” Karis said. “Estonia supports the rapid opening of all clusters in the EU-Ukraine accession negotiations – already this month.”
Karis calls for stronger pressure on Russia
At a joint press conference with Zelenskyy, Karis said Estonia and Ukraine understood one another “without words”, bound by similar history and a shared view of the future.
He recalled meeting Ukrainian war veterans in Narva who had described themselves as “a bulletproof vest for Europe”. Ukraine, he said, had kept “dark brutality” away from Europe.
Karis said the pressure on Russia must increase, including through the enforcement of existing sanctions and stronger measures against Russian energy carriers and their transport. He also warned against attempts to normalise Russia’s return to international sport and culture while it continues its war against Ukraine.
Karis said Europe must be ready, when the time comes, to sit at the negotiating table with a common mandate and jointly formed positions. He repeated the principle: “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, nothing about Europe without Europe.”
Estonia and Ukraine pledge deeper defence cooperation
Later on 9 June, Zelenskyy and the Estonian prime minister, Kristen Michal, issued a joint declaration on enhanced security and defence cooperation, saying Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine had “fundamentally altered the security landscape of Europe” and made closer defence cooperation between like-minded partners more urgent.
The declaration commits Estonia and Ukraine to deepen cooperation on security assistance and crisis consultation, the exchange of battlefield experience, the supply of defence capabilities and solutions, defence industrial cooperation and air defence.
The two countries said they would explore ways to strengthen Ukraine’s drone capability and technological edge, including through the “Drone Deal” cooperation format. They also underlined the importance of integrated, multi-layered air defence, including anti-ballistic missile defence capabilities in Europe.
Building on the security cooperation and long-term support agreement signed by Estonia and Ukraine in June 2024, the declaration sets out the political intent to conclude a comprehensive bilateral Security and Defence Cooperation Agreement. The future agreement is expected to cover battlefield lessons, defence industry cooperation, air defence, unmanned systems and emerging technologies.
First ladies focus on education and children
Zelenskyy was accompanied by Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska. She and Estonia’s First Lady, Sirje Karis, met representatives of the education and research sectors and attended the signing of memoranda of cooperation between Estonian universities and the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies.
They also visited the Estonian Centre for International Development, where they were briefed on cooperation projects between the centre and the Olena Zelenska Foundation, with a particular focus on children and young people.
