Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has issued a clear appeal to EU countries, emphasizing the importance of repelling the Russian attack for freedom across Europe.
Estonia has called on countries like Germany, France and Italy to allocate significantly more money to support Ukraine.
The goal should be to reach one percent of gross domestic product, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told the German Press Agency on the sidelines of a two-day EU meeting in Sweden. Estonia is more than one percent, although it is not that big a country. “We know it’s possible,” he said.
The background to Tsahkna’s statements are figures according to which countries like Germany are only among the frontrunners in terms of military, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine in absolute figures. According to calculations by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the Federal Republic of Germany only achieved a GDP ratio of 0.2 percent with bilateral aid commitments worth 7.4 billion euros. France and Italy were even significantly lower at less than 0.1 percent.
Importance of defense for freedom
In his call, Tsahkna underscored the importance of repelling the Russian onslaught for freedom, independence and security across Europe. “The Ukrainians are also fighting for us,” he stressed.
According to the IfW figures, the frontrunners in terms of support were Latvia and Estonia with a rate of around 1.2 and 1.1 percent respectively. This was followed by Lithuania with 0.9 percent, Poland with 0.6 percent and the Netherlands with 0.5 percent. In the first 12 months of Russia’s war of aggression, the USA had a GDP ratio of 0.4 percent with support amounting to the equivalent of 71.3 billion euros.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba was also expected to attend the EU meeting near the Swedish capital Stockholm this Saturday. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wanted to meet President Sergio Mattarella in Rome. It was unclear whether the Ukrainian would then continue to Germany. Selenskyj will be awarded the renowned Charlemagne Prize in Aachen on Sunday. It was open whether he would accept it himself.
Source: Stern
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