Estonian Foreign Minister: ‘If Ukraine Fails, We All Fail’

washington — Ukraine was the focus of a high-level delegation from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in Washington this week. In an interview with VOA Georgian Service’s Eka Maghaldadze, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said there should be no Plan B when it comes to Ukraine, because its failure would mean the failure of democracy.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

VOA: You visited Washington this week, together with your colleagues from Latvia and Lithuania, to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine and the threats for European security with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Why?

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna: Talking about Ukraine is very important. It’s the main topic. … NATO is the only working security guarantee for Ukraine and for the whole region. We discussed how we can move forward with supporting Ukraine, and [how] we can also use frozen Russian assets to help Kyiv. Estonia increased our defense spendings up to 3.2% of our GDP. We increased taxes, but the society is supportive, knowing what’s at stake. The war can come to our territories as well.

VOA: The U.S. approved $228 million in military and defense aid to the Baltic States. What concerns did you share with Secretary Blinken, and what assurances did you get from the Biden administration?

Tsahkna: A big portion of the money from U.S. aid is coming back to U.S. industries and economy, because we buy from the U.S. … Europe is doing its share, increasing defense spending, but we can’t carry alone the burden of European security. U.S. leadership is crucial for us. It’s a matter of image, as well. I really do hope that the aid package for Ukraine will pass in Congress soon.

VOA: With U.S. aid on hold and widespread concern among Ukraine’s supporters that the U.S. and the West are not giving Kyiv what it needs to win, what signal does it send to Moscow? Do you think there is a political will and readiness for Ukraine’s victory?

Tsahkna: Ukrainians are fighting because this is an existential fight. Because [Russian President Vladimir] Putin doesn’t want to have peace right now. He wants to destroy all the nation as a country. This is something crucial. We must understand that any idea or initiative [for peace talks] without Ukraine will be a trap. Putin needs this kind of initiative just to show that he’s strong and we are weak. This is a trap.

We need to actually define the goal, not for Ukraine [but] for us as well. We’re not saying clearly that we need to win the war, or what the victory is. … We can’t just finish with some kind of a cease-fire. … We have to take away the will of aggression from Putin or Russia.

VOA: Throughout your visit to Washington, you’ve been asked several times, ‘What if Ukraine fails? What would it mean for you?’ Do you prepare for such a scenario?

Tsahkna: No. We are not preparing for Plan B, because we have to invest in Plan A. … And for us, the plan is very, very easy. It’s very simple. Just give Ukraine what they ask. They don’t ask [for] boots on the ground to fight with Russia. They ask for ammunition, weapons, money.

I don’t believe in the threat that Putin will use nuclear weapons, because during the last two years, every time we do something new, every time we give a new level of weapons, ammunition, Putin has said that would be an escalation. But actually, nothing happened. He’s just killing Ukrainians. He’s actually breaking all the laws and all the rules we have created after the Second World War.

So, we must understand this: There is no Plan B if we are failing together with Ukraine. … We are failing as democracies. But we are investing in Plan A and in our defense. We understand that Russia will remain a threat.
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