Baltic Sea to become NATO's inland sea - Estonian president

• Published date: 13 May 2022
• Publication title: LETA

TALLINN, May 13 (LETA--BNS) Estonian President Alar Karis said at a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda on Friday that the Kremlin's war in Ukraine will bring Finland and likely also Sweden to NATO and make the Baltic Sea NATO's inland sea.

Karis said at a meeting with Duda in Kadriorg that Russia wanted to weaken the European Union and NATO, but achieved the opposite with its aggression in Ukraine. "The European Union and NATO are more united and stronger than ever. The war started by the Kremlin in the heart of Europe will bring Finland and likely also Sweden to NATO, making the Baltic Sea NATO's inland sea and the security of the region even stronger," the president said.

The heads of state of Estonia and Poland discussed the situation in Ukraine and how to continue supporting Ukraine and make the price of Russia's aggression even more painful. "The suffering of the Ukrainians and Ukraine is on the conscience of President [Vladimir] Putin and sooner or later the Kremlin will have to pay for it in addition to the sanctions already in place," Karis said.

"I look to the capitals of all the European Union and NATO allies, the capitals of all democracies. And I say to everyone that we must not get used to this war, we must not get tired of it. Ukraine is fighting for us every day and needs our support," Karis said at a joint press conference with the Polish head of state.

The Estonian president stressed that assisting Ukraine must be a daily care and concern. "Militarily, politically, by assisting war refugees, and by providing transit routes for Ukrainian exports, for example. I commend Poland for its comprehensive contribution to assisting Ukraine. We will both continue to give our full support to Ukraine. Also for getting Ukraine the status of an...