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Baltic foreign ministers and Blinken discuss Ukraine support in Washington

26.03.2024 11:15
Diplomacy chiefs of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania convened in Washington DC with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday for talks on assistance to Ukraine, enhancing the costs for the aggressor, and bolstering Baltic security.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak

The discussions, reported by the Polish state news agency PAP, underscored the strategic importance of the region and the collective effort to counter Russian aggression.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, emphasizing the critical role of US security assistance and presence in Europe, said that "Ukraine's victory in Russia's brutal aggression war is the only way to ensure security and prosperity in the entire Euro-Atlantic region," as quoted by BNS news agency. He highlighted Estonia's commitment to supporting Ukraine by allocating 0.25 percent of its GDP to Kyiv's defense efforts, urging other like-minded countries to follow suit.

Tsahkna also called for increased military aid to Ukraine, tighter sanctions against Russia, and the utilization of frozen Russian assets to bolster Ukrainian defense capabilities. He labeled Russia as a significant and enduring threat to NATO's security, pointing to its hybrid warfare tactics in the West and direct aggression towards Ukraine.

The meeting was also described as productive by Latvian Foreign Ministry head Krishyanis Karinsh, while Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis underscored the indispensable role of US leadership and presence in ensuring the security of the transatlantic region.

The US Congress recently passed legislation allocating USD 228 million towards the security of the Baltic States, reinforcing the US' commitment to the region's stability.

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Source: PAP, IAR