Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko visited Estonia on Tuesday, June 2, where she held talks with Prime Minister Kristen Michal and other senior officials on defense cooperation, military assistance and support for Ukraine’s path toward European Union membership.
According to the ERR news outlet, Svyrydenko also met with Estonian President Alar Karis and Speaker of Parliament Lauri Hussar during the visit.
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“I am pleased to welcome Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko to Estonia for the first time,” Michal said ahead of the meeting. “Ukraine is not only a country fighting for freedom, but also a state whose experience, innovations and defense industry development help strengthen the security of all Europe.”
Defense cooperation tops agenda
At a joint press conference in Tallinn, Svyrydenko repeatedly thanked Estonia for its support since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“Today in Tallinn we had a substantive and warm meeting with the prime minister of Estonia, and I am very grateful to the Estonian government for its consistent, principled and exceptional support for Ukraine from the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion and long before that,” Svyrydenko said.
She noted that Russia launched more than 600 drones and over 70 missiles against Ukraine during the previous night, killing civilians and damaging residential areas.
“Such massive attacks on civilian infrastructure and residential buildings are the daily reality of Ukraine,” she said. “We can stop this daily terror and Russia’s attempts to expand the boundaries of its aggression only if we act together.”
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According to Svyrydenko, defense cooperation was the central topic of discussions with Estonian officials.
She thanked Estonia for its decision to allocate 0.25% of GDP annually to military assistance for Ukraine and welcomed Tallinn’s participation in the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program, which allows allies to finance the purchase of US-made weapons for Ukraine.
Svyrydenko also highlighted growing cooperation in drone technologies and air defense systems.
“Today Ukraine has unique experience in developing drones and air defense systems. We are ready to actively share this experience with Estonia,” she said.
Support for sanctions and reconstruction
The Ukrainian prime minister also called for stronger sanctions against Russia, arguing that only sustained economic pressure can raise the cost of Moscow’s aggression.
She thanked Estonia for supporting the EU’s 20th sanctions package and expressed hope that the bloc would soon approve a 21st round of restrictions.
Svyrydenko also praised Estonia for becoming the first country whose parliament ratified an agreement establishing a special tribunal to prosecute crimes committed against Ukraine.
In addition, she thanked Tallinn for participating in reconstruction projects, including housing for large families affected by the war, bomb shelters and psychological rehabilitation centers.