Federal Chancellor receives the Prime Minister of Estonia
Good friends and reliable partners were particularly important in difficult times, said Federal Chancellor Scholz during the visit of Estonian Prime Minister Michal. “And this is precisely what Estonia and Germany are: the two countries are united by a close friendship and dependable partnership in the European Union and NATO that now goes back 20 years.”
- Transcript of press conference
- Friday, 20 December 2024
Federal Chancellor Scholz receives Prime Minister Michal with military honours: “The security of our allies is our security, too.”
Photo: Federal Government/Marvin Güngör
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal discussed the still very tense security situation in the Baltic States on NATO’s eastern flank. Scholz said that the response to Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine had been resolute: as friends and NATO partners, the Federal Chancellor went on, it was vital to jointly defend the security of Europe and every square centimetre of NATO territory. Michal was received with military honours at his inaugural visit to the Chancellery.
The key facts:
- Germany’s active engagement: With the aim of strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, Germany will permanently station a Bundeswehr brigade in Lithuania from 2025 onwards. “We’re doing this to increase security throughout the entire Baltic region,” said Federal Chancellor Scholz, adding that the German Air Force was already contributing regularly to safety and security in the airspace over Estonia through its air policing programme. After all, said Scholz: “The security of our allies is our security, too.”
- Standing side-by-side with Ukraine: Europe must invest in its own security and defence so as to ensure a sovereign and resilient Europe in a troubled world, said Scholz, adding that he had recently conveyed clearly to President Zelensky in Kyiv: “You can rely on us. We will not let up in our support.” Russia must not be allowed to win the war, Scholz said, which was why the Federal Government was looking to provide Ukraine with additional military support – particularly in the area of air defence and artillery ammunition. Scholz also called on EU member states to make further efforts with a view to achieving a fair, sustainable and resilient peace for Ukraine.
- Making the most of economic potential: Scholz announced that bilateral economic cooperation would be further boosted, particularly in the areas of digital technology and renewables. He noted that Estonia was a potential role model for Germany and its administration in the field of digitalisation especially. With a view to the energy transition, the aim was to jointly exploit the great potential of offshore wind energy, said Scholz. The Federal Chancellor also emphasised the importance of the EU’s promotion of electric cars and the strengthening of European steel production as a way of safeguarding key sectors of the European economy.
You can read a transcript of the press conference here (only German)