Estonia proposes to bring int’l defense aid to Ukraine to EUR 100B in 2023

16.02.2023 18:00

Ukrinform

Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pekvur called on the international community to provide Ukraine before year-end with military support amounting to EUR 100 billion, including sending a million artillery rounds in the shortest term.

The minister spoke at a joint press conference with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin in Tallinn on Thursday, Ukrinform’s own correspondent reports.

“We can and must do more. I have three key proposals as to how. First, all European partners and NATO allies must spend more than 2%, ideally closer to 2.5% of the GDP on defense. More can only be given when there is more to give,” the defense minister said.

He went on to say that the international coalition should reach “at least 100 billion euros in combined military aid to Ukraine by the end of 2023.”

“We can talk about how substance also matters, but trust me, there is at least 100 billion worth of things Ukraine needs already at this moment,” Estonia’s defense chief noted.

Also, he urged the European Union to immediately support the Ukrainian defense with 1 million artillery rounds, a proposal recently put forward by Estonia.

At the same time, he pledged his country’s accelerated development of its own national defense.

“The new Estonian National Security Strategy foresees a new standard of at least 3% of GDP for defense,” the minister concluded.