Estonia’s PM: Arms supplies to Ukraine must continue

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has called on Germany and other allies to continue supplying arms to Ukraine.

This is reported by Ukrinform with reference to DW.

"I call on all allies, including Germany, to send Ukraine everything they need so that they can defend themselves... If all allies had sent weapons back in January or February, many lives would have been saved," the Prime Minister said.

When asked whether Germany should also send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, Kallas replied: "Each individual country should say what it can or cannot provide."

At the same time, she emphasized that arms deliveries concern not only Ukraine.

"It is not only about the sovereignty and freedom of some country in Europe, but also about the security of the whole of Europe," said the Estonian politician. According to her, a country should be able to defend itself if attacked.

Ukraine has long demanded Germany to supply Leopard 2 main battle tanks, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly stated that he does not want to make a decision on his own. However, the United States has already stated that it does not object to such supplies. According to the Ukrainian side, negotiations are underway with the government of Germany regarding the supply of Leopard 2 tanks and Marder infantry fighting vehicles.

Memo. Estonia, one of the smallest EU nations, unlike Germany, had already supplied weapons to Ukraine before Russian invasion on February 24. According to statistics provided by the Kiel Institute of World Economics, the Baltic country bordering Russia has supported Ukraine more than any other country in the world in terms of the ratio to the combined gross domestic product.

Also, by the volume of arms deliveries in absolute numbers, it is also ahead of much larger and more financially powerful European nations, such as Italy or Spain.