- Title: Increase defence spending and tax Russia to rebuild Ukraine, Estonia says
- Date: 16th December 2024
- Summary: TALLINN, ESTONIA (DECEMBER 16, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ESTONIAN PRIME MINISTER, KRISTEN MICHAL, GIVING INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) ESTONIAN PRIME MINISTER, KRISTEN MICHAL, SAYING: "Let's say, talking from the Estonian experience, for us, the message that Europe, as the wealthiest region probably all around the world, has to spend more on defence and security is a me
- Embargoed: 30th December 2024 13:18
- Keywords: Estonian Prime Minister Joint Expeditionary Force Kristen Michal NATO spending target Russian assets Russian invasion of Ukraine Ukraine NATO membership
- Location: TALLINN, ESTONIA
- City: TALLINN, ESTONIA
- Country: Estonia
- Topics: Defence,Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001742716122024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Estonia will propose that the leaders of the United Kingdom-led alliance of northern European NATO countries spend no less than 2.5% of GDP on defence in response to the threat from Russia, Prime Minister Kristen Michal said on Monday (December 16).
Only 23 of the 32 NATO members are on track to hit the NATO target of a minimum 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence spending.
Estonia has doubled its defence spending since the start of the nearly three-year-old war in Ukraine, up to 3.2% of GDP in 2024.
Michal said "everybody" in NATO and the EU had the feeling that defence spending needed to be increased "because of what is happening all over the world and with Russia".
Michal hosts the heads of the alliance, called the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Tallinn this week, and will focus discussions on Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers, which he described as an "an environmental disaster waiting to happen".
Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would like to end the war in Ukraine quickly without revealing details of how he planned to do this and Michal said it was important to ensure lasting peace.
He proposed using 200 to 300 billion euros of Russia’s frozen assets abroad to rebuild Ukraine, and imposing additional taxes on Russian goods to raise up to 300 billion euros more.
That would bring lasting peace, Michal said, because Russia would be unable to continue hostilities, including so-called hybrid attacks, and Ukraine's military resources should also be strengthened.
"Ukraine is part of Europe, it should be a member of NATO," Michal added.
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