The Ukrainian president has just completed a two-day tour of the three Baltic countries in Riga, Latvia. This is the first time he has been there since the start of the war. A visit to say thank you for the unwavering support, but also to remind you that there is strength in unity.
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Everywhere, Volodymyr Zelensky was welcomed by the crowds. In the eyes of the Balts, he is a hero. But he also thanked them. By donating 1.6% of its gross domestic product to help kyiv militarily, Estonia is one of the largest donors, recalls our correspondent in the region, Marielle Vitureau.
The Ukrainian president did not leave empty-handed. He signed agreements to develop cooperation with the defense industry in Lithuania. Estonia has announced that it will devote 0.25% of its gross domestic product each year until 2027 to provide military aid to kyiv.
“ There will be a day after Putin “, declared Volodymyr Zelensky in Vilnius. But in the meantime, he rejected any idea of “ breaks » in the conflict, believing that this would favor the Russians. He therefore called for continued aid to Ukraine on the battlefield, because it defends the rest of Europe against the ambitions of Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian president hopes that the Balts will convey the message to other Europeans.
“ In this brutal war, on this great battlefield, we are all allies fighting for freedom.”, declared the Estonian president. “ All of Russia’s chances in this war rest on the hope that the united front of the allies will break and the Ukrainians will be left alone.he added.
In an editorial written for the occasion in Ukrainian, Eesti Paevaleht, the major Estonian daily, regretted that not everyone was aware of this. During the first stage of his Baltic tour, Wednesday January 10 in Lithuania, President Zelensky castigated Western hesitations regarding financial and military aid to Ukraine, which “ only increase the courage and strength of Russia “.
President Zelensky’s tour comes as Moscow and kyiv accuse each other of targeting civilians in their missile strikes amid a brutal escalation of attacks.