Estonian President Alar Karis has announced that his country is prepared to send troops to Ukraine as part of the Coalition of the Willing, should such a move be approved by the initiating group.
Speaking at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Karis reaffirmed Estonia’s full support for Ukraine, both militarily and politically.
The Estonian leader also confirmed Estonia’s participation in the U.S.-backed PURL initiative, aimed at jointly purchasing American-made weapons for Kyiv.
“The U.S.–NATO initiative to arm PURL is an excellent step in this regard. Estonia fully supports this initiative, and we are pleased to take part in these efforts. Estonia will continue to support Ukraine in defending its freedom,” Karis declared.
Estonia’s Military and Economic Commitment
Karis highlighted that Tallinn allocated 0.3% of its GDP in direct military aid to Ukraine this year alone. He also emphasized the growing cooperation between Estonian and Ukrainian defense industries.
“The Estonian government is ready to deploy troops as part of the Coalition of the Willing to help guarantee peace in Ukraine. A guaranteed peace is necessary for this war to end,” Karis stressed.
Strategic and Security Considerations
The President underlined the importance of maintaining U.S. troops stationed in Europe and revealed plans to meet with the commander of U.S. forces in Europe to discuss security issues.
Karis also argued that modern missile technologies reduce the strategic importance of geographical proximity to Russia, signaling Estonia’s confidence in advanced defense systems.
