A visit to Kyiv brought a strong European signal, while security concerns and the coming winter kept air defense at the center of talks.
Estonia is ready to support the opening of all negotiation clusters for Ukraine on its path to joining the European Union by the end of the year. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this after meeting with Estonian President Alar Karis in Kyiv.
According to Zelenskyy, progress in negotiations with the EU is significant for Ukraine not only politically but also socially. He described the opening of the clusters as an important signal of support for Ukrainians.
I am grateful for the support for opening all the clusters this year. This is very important to us. For Ukraine, it is not merely something political; it is motivation for our people.
– Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Security and strengthening air defense
During the talks, the presidents also focused on current security threats and the challenges of the winter period. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that European states must jointly support Ukraine, including by strengthening its air defense.
All voices in Europe must speak in support of providing Ukraine with air defense.
– Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Cooperation between Ukraine and Estonia
Zelenskyy noted that this visit by Alar Karis could be his final trip to Ukraine as President of Estonia. The Ukrainian president emphasized Karis’s consistent support for Kyiv throughout his term, which coincided with Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Alar Karis also visited Ukraine two days before the start of the full-scale war. Zelenskyy thanked Estonia for its military aid, its clear position on Russian aggression, and security cooperation, including within the drone deal format.
I am grateful to Estonia for the level of cooperation we have achieved, for its unwavering principled stance in assessing Russian aggression, and for our joint European defense efforts. Estonia provides us with military assistance, we support each other’s security capabilities, and we have a drone deal format that allows us to apply our defense experience in Estonia.
– Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Ukraine’s EU negotiation clusters
On July 14, during an intergovernmental conference on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, negotiation cluster 6, “External Relations,” was officially opened.
Earlier, on June 12, the opening of the first cluster, “Fundamentals,” was approved. It covers the rule of law, fundamental rights, the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform, and economic criteria. Estonia’s support for the further opening of clusters strengthens Ukraine’s position in the European integration process.