00:00How would you assess the defense talks that occurred today?
00:04Well, it's, as always, some more positives, positive, let's say, topics and some topics which have to be more discussed.
00:14And eventually, you know, it's important that we have a progress regarding Ukraine.
00:20We have an understanding what we need to do regarding the defense readiness of Europe.
00:24So in that regard, I would say that it was a good meeting.
00:27But what else needs to be discussed?
00:30Well, first of all, of course, when we talk about defense readiness, then it's one of the critical questions.
00:36What is the capability and what is the capacity of defense industry?
00:40So we had a meeting also with the European defense industry.
00:43So we clearly understand that, you know, they need to know what is the trajectory and what will be the
00:49money which will be put into the defense for the next decades to come.
00:55And on the other hand, the governments want to have more and more and more quickly.
00:59So the pace has to be there.
01:01And obviously, this is one of the topics.
01:04But on the other hand, in Europe, you always have some new regulations.
01:08So when you talk about the procurements, we want to have more simplified procurements, which are easy to implement and
01:15very agile.
01:17So many things to discuss.
01:20And of course, State of Hormuz, Middle East in general, is the question.
01:24Do we continue with the current operations like a speeders or do we need to create something new?
01:32French UK initiative is there.
01:33So many, many important topics.
01:35Is Estonia ready to defend itself?
01:38Estonia is always ready to defend itself.
01:40And Estonia is ready to defend the Europe.
01:43So we are keeping the front door closed.
01:45We've always said that, you know, the front door of Europe starts in Estonia, in Finland, in Latvia, in Lithuania,
01:54in Poland.
01:54So we need to keep the eastern flank safe.
01:57So and then this is why we always said also that the eastern flank watch as one of the most
02:01important initiatives has to be one of the priorities also in the future MFF.
02:07I mean, you mentioned Latvia there, but of course, we saw the defense minister resigning on Sunday following the failings
02:13of those not stopping those drones that entered Latvian airspace last week.
02:18How confident are you that Estonia is prepared for incursions like this if they were to come?
02:24Well, first of all, nobody's 100 percent bulletproof.
02:28We see that also in Ukraine.
02:30Ukraine has been fighting with the drones already more than four years in the full scale war.
02:35And before that there were no drones, but still, it is a very complex and very difficult issue.
02:41And when you come to Latvia, I believe that it was not basically the main reason why my colleague had
02:50to resign.
02:51So it's the question of politics and the elections are approaching in Latvia.
02:56So it's more or less something we have seen in Latvia already for a couple of months that the relations
03:03inside of the coalitions are not in the best condition.
03:07And the meeting today also centered on that 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine.
03:12Some of that, of course, going towards that country's defenses.
03:15But we saw the news come in overnight that Zelensky's chief of staff has been entangled in a corruption scandal.
03:22How can you be confident that any EU funds won't be misappropriated?
03:27Well, we need to have the accountability in place.
03:30So there is no question.
03:32But we also have a very pretty, very good understanding what the needs of Ukraine are.
03:38So there is also a new minister of defense who has been in the office for a couple of months
03:44or a bit more, so half a year.
03:45And definitely he's responsible for that to show also not only to Ukrainians and to Ukrainian army, but also to
03:54us that this money, what we are providing to and this assistance we are providing to Ukraine,
04:01that this assistance will be also invested to their defense in the maximum way.
04:06But don't you think it's a bad look that as Ukraine continues to ask the EU for money, there are
04:12more officials within those senior cabinet positions that are embroiled in scandals like this?
04:18Well, I believe it is definitely something Ukrainians are looking into very, like, seriously,
04:27because it's also important for them that there are no, like, rumors or no problems involved with that kind of
04:35assistance because at the end of the day they need to get this support up and running for next years
04:43to come.
04:43And then even when the war will be over or if the war will be over, then Ukrainians still need
04:48our assistance, our help, so to rebuild Ukraine and to help them to be a normal European country.
04:54So this is why it is first and foremost for the Ukrainians to show for their own people and for
05:01us that everything is in a good shape.
05:03And obviously we've touched on some of the more formal parts of the agenda, but of course the chatter on
05:08the red carpet here is that ongoing discussion of whether the EU should speak to Russia if negotiations with Ukraine
05:16were to occur.
05:17Who do you think should be that spokesperson for Europe?
05:21Well, it's too early to talk about that, definitely not, and definitely for us it is important to understand that
05:29first we need to help Ukraine to win the war.
05:32So the victory has to be there, or at least to put them to the position that these negotiations between
05:39Ukraine and Russia are on the parietal level or are on the equal level, let's say so.
05:46So the second, when we talk about the normalization or let's say normalization of the relations between Russia and Europe,
05:55then the key is not in Europe.
05:56So the key is in the Kremlin and the key is hold by Putin.
06:02So when they are ready or if they are ready to be a normal country again, where they are not
06:08violating any human rights, where they are not punishing people just like that, where they are not throwing people out
06:18or where people can also, let's say, smoke on the balcony.
06:21So this is up to Russia to be a normal country, because at the moment there is nothing to talk
06:28about.
06:29Absolutely. So what I'm hearing from you is that the conversation isn't there yet.
06:32But do you think that the former Estonian prime minister, Kaya Callas, of course, the EU's top diplomat, her name
06:39has been floated in the corridors of power as someone that could be up for the job?
06:43What do you think? Is it for her to do, for her to speak to Putin?
06:46Well, she's a high representative of European Commission. So that means that by work agenda, this is one of her
06:58jobs to talk to foreign countries.
07:01Is it Russia or not? So as a but again, I believe that it's not the time to talk about
07:07it.
07:08First, we have to concentrate on on helping Ukraine, because everybody would like to talk about any different or every
07:15different topic.
07:16But that brings us away from the focus, what we need to do.
07:21And then what we need to do is to concentrate on the Ukraine military assistance.
07:26Thank you so much.
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