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Estonian Head of State met with the Speaker of the British House of Commons

Estonian Head of State met with the Speaker of the British House of Commons © Erik Peinar

17.04.2014

"The activities of the leaders of Russia involving the annexation of Crimea and supporting separatism in Ukraine will leave NATO with no choice – the alliance is set to increase its visibility and deterring presence in the territory of its eastern border allies," confirmed the President, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who met today in Kadriorg with the Speaker of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, John Bercow.

The Estonian Head of State described the activities of the United Kingdom during the crisis in Ukraine as "an example to many NATO members and European Union member states, who have put short term economic benefits above defending our common values and international law".

President Ilves mentioned as important London's decision to send additional Typhoon fighters to aid NATO's air security mission to the Baltic states, together with the participation of a British company in the large-scale Kevadtorm (Spring Storm) exercise of the Estonian Defence Forces and the United Kingdom joining NATO's Co-operative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn.

"All of this serves as confirmation of NATO's collective defence and solidarity," told the Estonian Head of State. "Estonia and the United Kingdom will continue to remain brothers in arms, a relationship that started in Afghanistan during the ISAF operation, after our soldiers have left the battlefields in Afghanistan."


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