Estonia’s Continued Support for Ukraine

April 10, 2023 Written by Ash Breedlove

Five weeks after a general election in Estonia, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas reports her party, the Reform Party, has secured a deal with two other parties to form a coalition. Estonia’s Reform Party won the parliamentary election in March with 31.2% of the vote. The coalition has been formed with the Estonia 200 party and the Social Democratic Party. The coalition helps Kallas push forward new agendas to contend with the election’s runner-up: the far-right populist EKRE party. Kallas said defense and security would be at the top of the new Cabinet’s agenda. Amid the war in Ukraine, Estonia is increasing its defense expenditure. 

Estonia’s Foreign Minister, Urmas Reinsalu, called for more tanks and aid to be sent to Ukraine and has recently spoken out about his dissatisfaction with the quantity and pace of allies’ arms support. Estonia has been at the forefront of support for Ukraine’s NATO membership. Reinsalu has made it clear he does not support a Ukrainian surrender and says the West would be complicit in allowing Russia to threaten all Eastern European nations.