The Prime Minister welcomed Prime Minister Kaja Kallas of Estonia to Downing Street this afternoon to discuss how NATO partners could further strengthen the Alliance ahead of this month’s summit.
Meeting for the fourth time this year, the Prime Minister reinforced the United Kingdom’s commitment to Estonia’s security and stability, which he said was demonstrated by the UK sending an additional battlegroup to the Baltic nation.
The Prime Minister said that Estonia could depend on the UK to support it, both through NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force, as well as through the UK and Estonia’s strong bilateral relationship.
The leaders agreed that the bilateral relationship had been further strengthened through the successful joint bid to host the Defence Innovator Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) European headquarters, which would draw on the expertise and capabilities of both countries to develop new defence technologies critical for the future.
Discussing the importance of the NATO leaders summit later this month, both leaders denounced Putin’s abhorrent invasion of Ukraine, and the Prime Minister said the Russian President was the author of his own embarrassment.
The Prime Ministers said there could be no backsliding in Allies’ support for Ukraine. They were also clear that NATO needed to agree a strengthened position in the face of continued Russian aggression.
The leaders agreed to stay in close contact in the coming weeks.