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The Estonian Head of State and the Foreign Minister of Germany share a common view: relations between the European Union, NATO and Russia cannot remain the same, and a powerful response must be taken
11.03.2014
The meeting between the President, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, and the Foreign Minister of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who arrived in Estonia for a working visit, focused on the crisis in Ukraine, the military invasion of Russia in Crimea and the lack of any will to find a peaceful solution for the crisis.
The Estonian Head of State and the German Foreign Minister share a common view of the situation: Russia has gone too far; Moscow's activities in exercising strength and using it as a threat in Ukraine is in conflict with international law and also violates bilateral agreements between Ukraine and Russia.
The Estonian Head of State and the German Foreign Minister both found a joint, uniform and powerful response by the European Union to the activities of Russia to be important; further sanctions should also be considered.
"Russia has broken the rules of international law and this is impermissible in 21st century Europe," President Ilves emphasised, saying that the counter-measures by the European Union and the United States of America must be both decisive and powerful.
"Our efforts in the European Union must rely more on values and security, not on the dependence on gas and monetary interests. Those who place economic benefits above our future security in Europe have got it all wrong," said the Estonian Head of State.
President Ilves described the statements made by the leaders of Russia about their lawful rights to defend their fellow Russian-speakers abroad with military force as "dangerous for Europe in general". "Russia's decision to allow military activities in the territory of another country to meet this purpose should be seen as trampling on international peaceful communication and the principles of international law."
"For example, now there can be no discussions about a simplified visa regime between the European Union and Russia, as the Russian authorities are simply handing out the passports of the Russian Federation to anyone living in another country who asks for it – only to justify defending their so-called compatriots with military force," President Ilves added.
The Estonian Head of State added that relations between Russia and NATO need to be reviewed within the situation that has emerged, complete with the corresponding baseline documents from 1997 and 2002.
The German Minister of Foreign Afairs, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, also met in Tallinn with his Estonian colleague, Urmas Paet.
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