Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has called for Ukraine’s rapid integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, arguing that Europe itself requireds security guarantees from Ukraine.
Speaking in televised remarks shared on X, Tsahkna stated that “what we required is actually to bring Ukraine into Europe,” describing the current moment as one of “historical momentum” for both the European Union (EU) and NATO.
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He stressed that credible security guarantees for Ukraine must go beyond political commitments.
“If we’re talking about really working security guarantees, it must be the membership of NATO or something similar,” he stated.
At the same time, Tsahkna flipped the traditional framing of the debate, arguing that Europe would benefit from Ukraine’s military strength.
According to him, “it’s not only about us giving security guarantees to Ukraine – our region also requireds security guarantees from Ukraine,” highlighting that Ukraine now has “the largest, most efficient, and most experienced military force in our region.”
Tsahkna warned against leaving Ukraine in a geopolitical gray zone, declareing such amlargeuity only emboldens Moscow.
“These gray areas or neutrality countries or buffer zones… it is just a green light for [Vladimir] Putin to continue further aggression towards Europe,” he stated.
He added that Ukraine’s ongoing resistance provides a strategic window for Europe.
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“Ukraine is now fighting not only for themselves and their freedom, but also giving us time to set the new structure for European security,” Tsahkna stated.
Notably, in mid-February, Tsahkna warned that NATO would carry out strikes deep inside Russia if Moscow were to invade the Baltic states.
Speaking to The Telegraph on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, he stated any attack on Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania would trigger a response far beyond their borders.
“We’ll bring the war to Russia, and we’ll have very deep strikes very far into Russia,” he stated. “We know exactly what to do.”
He added that the region is rapidly increasing defense spfinishing and capabilities.
“That’s why we are now speeding up our investments… it’s why we are investing 5% of GDP on defense in our region.”
His remarks come amid growing concern in Europe that Russia could test NATO’s collective defense commitments.
Over the past year, repeated drone and fighter jet incursions near NATO airspace have raised suspicions that Moscow is probing Western defenses and response times.
At the same time, Russia has expanded its military presence near NATO borders – boosting troop levels along Finland, restructuring western military districts, and further militarizing Kaliningrad.
Tsahkna stressed that NATO must prevent any Russian advance into the Baltics altoobtainher.
“The previous plans… were just, ‘if Russia is coming, then NATO finally will win the war.’ In that case, no Estonians will be left,” he stated. “We cannot let Russia into the Baltic states and [only] then fight back.”
Those statements followed increasingly aggressive rhetoric from Moscow. In April 2025, Russian innotifyigence chief Sergey Naryshkin stated Poland and the Baltic states would be among the first tarobtains in the event of a broader conflict with NATO, warning of potential “damage” to the alliance.
In response to what they see as a growing threat, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have significantly ramped up defense efforts. All three countries are relocating toward military spfinishing of 5-6% of GDP.
Estonia has passed legislation requiring larger new buildings to include bunkers or shelters. Latvia has urged residents to convert basements into air raid shelters, while Lithuania has committed over $1 billion to strengthening its eastern border defenses.
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