The Estonian government has stated that Russia is attempting to discredit the country on the international stage, particularly in the eyes of the United States.
This was announced by Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna during a press conference on the latest government decisions, as reported by Delfi.
According to him, Estonia has confirmed evidence that Russia is exploiting divisive issues, such as electoral rights and the activities of the Moscow Patriarchate, to damage the country’s reputation. As an example, he cited an incident at the UN this week, where, he claimed, Russia tried to undermine trust in Estonia.
"We saw this just this week at the UN—Russia is trying to harm our reputation, especially in the eyes of the United States," the minister said.
He reminded that starting March 31, Estonia will stop recognizing non-biometric passports of Russian citizens. This applies to everyone, including the elderly and infants. An exception has been made for those with a residence permit in Estonia or the EU, extending the deadline until September 31 of this year.
"I am pleased that, according to the Bank of Estonia, the economy is on a growth path, accelerating to 2.5 percent. Overall competitiveness has recovered. 2024 has been a successful year for the tourism sector," said Keldo. He emphasized that the defense industry remains a priority for Estonia.
The state will transfer €100 million to the defense fund. These funds will be invested in the equity capital of companies contributing to the defense sector, either directly or through private sector funds. Government support is essential to attract more investors to the defense industry.
