TALLINN (from our correspondent). At the border between the European Union and Russia.
We arrived here to find out, starting from Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, what the situation is in this part of the country that faces Russia.
Our report begins with an interview that the Estonian Foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna gave us.
The Estonian Foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna
In the dialogue that we had, exclusively, with him, it is highlighted how in this historical moment for the European Union and for the Atlantic Alliance it is important to have a very high security posture.
Minister, in this historical moment the European Union and NATO are experiencing a very strong political and military clash with Russia. Your country, together with Lithuania and Latvia, borders this State. How does Estonia protect the EU’s eastern border?
Estonia, together with Latvia and Lithuania have consistently worked together to enhance our resilience to the various security challenges in our region due to our close proximity to Russia.
Russian naval vessels in the Baltic a few years ago (Mil.ru)
Our membership in the EU and NATO has fundamentally changed the geopolitical landscape and helped us experience huge economic growth, stability and security.
Since regaining independence from the Soviet occupation at the beginning of the 90s the Estonian GDP has risen more than 10 times from 2,8 billion EUR in 1995 to 37,7 billion EUR in 2023.
Estonia is committed to do its part to strengthen NATOs deterrence and defence posture in the Baltic region to strengthen the security of the Euro-Atlantic area in order to defend the democratic values and freedoms that we all stand for – and Ukraine is currently fighting for.
With Finland and Sweden joining, NATO is stronger than ever before.
This has significantly enhanced the security of both the Baltic Sea and the Alliance as a whole.
The Russian aggression against Ukraine has shown the vital importance to strengthen capability development in order to implement NATOs defence plans.
Russian forces in Ukraine (Mil.ru)
This is also why Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have urged NATO members to start discussing a new defence spending target of at least 2.5%, because new capability targets need to be adequately funded.
Estonia, along with the other Baltic States have for a long time invested more than 2% into our defence – this year we are planning to invest 3.43% of our GDP.
We are not idle either – together with the other Baltics, Estonia is planning to improve the protection of NATOs eastern flank by constructing the Baltic defence line.
Its aim is to ensure the military protection of the countries from the first meter.
For this purpose, in addition to the usual border barriers on Estonia’s as well as NATOs and the EUs border with Russia, military defence facilities are built with the aim to prevent military conflict in the region.
Estonian soldiers
This is in addition to the Estonian ongoing defence procurements in order to strengthen Estonian defence capability.
Estonia started the construction project of the border in 2014 and it is one of the largest Estonian security-related construction projects of all time, and is undertaken to ensure that Estonia is a safe place to live and NATOs and the EUs eastern border is well protected.
During these years of conflict you have supported Ukraine greatly. For what reasons: political, humanitarian?
Ukraine is fighting for the sovereignty and territorial integrity but also for the peace and long-term security of the entire Euro-Atlantic region.
Estonia has made every effort to provide comprehensive support to Ukraine.
We have supported Ukraine politically, economically and militarily, we have ensured crucial humanitarian aid and launched reconstruction efforts, with a focus on civilian sites and infrastructure.
Our support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is unwavering and we will continue providing comprehensive assistance to Ukraine until it has won the war.
The most reasonable way to stand against Russia is to support Ukraine as Ukraine is not fighting for us but instead of us. Thus there can be no red lines on helping Ukraine.
In Estonia, NATO has created a Center of Excellence against cyber attacks. Why did your country accept?
Estonia has always been a very digitally oriented country, which includes a wide variety of digital state services (from digital identification, e-health, taxes and much more) and using digital solutions has become a part of our daily life.
Using digital solutions has also created a new range of threats and vulnerabilities in the cyber domain, which we have been dealing with for a long time.
Estonia has also been the target of various cyber-attacks (for example in 2007
Today, Estonia ranks 5th globally in cyber security.
We are the most advanced cyber security country in Europe and have unique expertise in the research, development and management of cyber security solutions and systems.
Estonia has also been the target of various cyber-attacks (for example in 2007), which has given us a lot experience in the field of cybersecurity of governance.
For several years now, Estonia has been among the most active global advocates of cybersecurity.
We have first-hand experience of the importance of cyber issues: we are a country that has been toughened by malicious cyber activity.
When we were hit by an extensive coordinated cyber operation in 2007, there was no international political mechanism for raising the significance of the attacks, appealing for assistance from other states or condemning the attackers. Since then,
Estonia has done a great deal to raise cybersecurity issues both bilaterally as well as in the EU, NATO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the UN and beyond.
Thus, for us it was logical for the NATO CCDOE to be hosted in Estonia.
For example, on September 5th Estonia attributed the 2020 cyberattacks against Estonia to the members of Unit 29155 of Russia’s military intelligence (GRU).
It is the first time in history that Estonia has attributed cyberattacks against the state to the perpetrator of the attacks.
The Prosecutor’s Office sought the arrest of three GRU officers and they are wanted internationally based on the arrest warrant issued by the Harju County Court.
Estonia’s security agencies also provided support for an US investigation in connection with more extensive cyberattacks.
More information about the event is available here: https://vm.ee/en/news/estonia-names-russias-military-intelligence-first-ever-attribution-cyberattacks
Furthermore, Enhanced Forward Presence is another very important political-military element?
Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) is an essential component of NATO’s deterrence and defence posture.
It has been an important political and practical tool to improve cooperation between NATO allies and to demonstrate politically that the NATO Eeastern flank is protected.
Increased presence in the Eastern part of the Alliance is a direct result of Russia’s aggressive behaviour against its neighbours and the wider transatlantic community.
At the latest NATO Summit it was reaffirmed that Russia will pose a direct and long-term threat to the Alliance, thus NATO will remain focused on blocking and fighting Russia’s aggressive actions and is increasing its military presence.
NATO has deployed in-place combat-ready forces on NATO’s Eastern Flank, strengthened forward defences, and enhanced the Alliance’s ability to rapidly reinforce any Ally that comes under threat.
It also gives an added bonus for the militaries of the different Allied nations to train and gain experience in a different environment and is good for us to strengthen ties and cooperation with each other.
Let’s talk about some of the international agreements. I am thinking of cooperation with the other two Baltic countries but also of the Nordic Baltic Cooperation and the Three Seas Initiative. From a geopolitical point of view, what do they represent for your country, for the European Union and for Western countries?
Estonia’s Nordic-Baltic neighbours are our closest partners and allies. Our economies are intertwined and our security challenges mutual.
The border of Narva
The region is one whole.
This goes for business and trade, but is likewise true militarily and environmentally. We share the same ecosystem in a wider sense.
The Nordic-Baltic countries represent huge potential in Europe but also globally.
Our combined GDP would easily qualify for the G20.
NB8 countries rank highest in the world for freedoms, low levels of corruption, clean air, digitalisation, innovation, etc. We have a actively coordinate our activities and cooperate, for example on joint visits.
Together we have travelled to Ukraine and Moldova, but also this year we organised a joint visit to India and there is another one coming up.
The Three Seas Initiative is aimed to increase ties with partners more broadly, interlinking adjacent regions from north to south by developing energy and transport infrastructure.
Its goal is to strengthen this broader region’s competitiveness, as well as attraction for countries like Italy, connecting regional partners like the Ukraine and Moldova to European energy and transport networks, and boosting transatlantic ties (the United States is a partner).
Italy recognized the Republic of Estonia in 1921 and in 1991 it again recognized Estonia’s independence. Today, how do relations between the two countries continue and how does Italy collaborate with you for cooperation and security in the Baltic?
In 2021, Estonia and Italy celebrated the centenary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and thirty years of the re-establishment of the relations in 1991.
Estonia appreciates that Italy never recognised the sovereignty of the Soviet Union on Estonia.
Today, Estonia and Italy have excellent bilateral relations and are cooperating closely in multilateral fora, in particular in the European Union and in NATO.
In NATO, we are making joint efforts to strengthen the security of the Baltic region, Italy being a significant contributor.
The cooperation between Estonia and Italy is particularly important in the framework of the NATO Air Policing mission and CCDCOE.
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