Volodymyr Zelenskyy to visit Estonia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be visiting Estonia in the coming days. Photo: Mihkel Maripuu

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be visiting Estonia in the coming days, meeting with President Alar Karis, speaker of the Riigikogu Lauri Hussar and Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, and delivering a speech in the Riigikogu.

The meetings will discuss how to further counter Russia's war of aggression and the long-term, sustained and effective support to Ukraine that this requires, the office of the president of Estonia said in a press release on Wednesday.

«Democratic countries have done a lot to help Ukraine, but we need to do more together to ensure that Ukraine wins and the aggressor loses. Then there is hope that this will be the last military aggression in Europe, where someone wants to dictate to their neighbor with missiles, drones and artillery what political choices they can make,» Estonian President Alar Karis said.

After the meeting of the presidents, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Alar Karis will make press statements and hold a press conference.

Govt involving defense forces in ensuring security during visit

The Estonian government decided to involve up to 50 members of the defense forces in ensuring the security of the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday and Thursday.

The members of the defense forces are involved with the right to use direct coercion. The order is given with the approval of President Alar Karis.

The order is established taking into account the scale of the security measures accompanying the visit and great public attention. In order to ensure public order and security, active duty soldiers of the defense forces with appropriate training, knowledge and experience are placed under the command of the Internal Security Service. The members of the defense forces will act together with Internal Security Service officers in the performance of tasks.

The police have ensured public order and security in cooperation with the defense forces and the Kaitseliit (Defense League) volunteer corps during high-level visits in the past as well. For example, during the visits of President of the United States Barack Obama in September 2014 and Vice President of the United States Michael Richard Pence in July 2017.