Estonia’s President Alar Karis emphasized the need for Estonia to adopt Ukraine’s strategies for countering drone incursions, following recent incidents involving drones entering Baltic airspace. His comments came during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Tallinn on June 9.
President Karis referenced military exercises held in spring, where Ukraine demonstrated its advanced capabilities in drone technology. He noted that while European nations can intercept drones using fighter jets, the high costs associated with such operations necessitate leveraging Ukraine’s expertise in this area.
“All technologies and capabilities must be brought here, but since they are in a state of war, it is highly likely that these drone incidents will continue to occur,” Karis stated. He stressed the importance of ensuring public calm in light of these developments.
In response to questions regarding drone incidents, President Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to retaliatory strikes against Russia. He pointed out that Moscow is attempting to escalate tensions within Europe, particularly when Russian drones appear in the airspace of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
“When our response to Russian strikes is underway, and a Russian drone appears in the skies of these countries, it is clear what the intention is,” Zelensky remarked. He acknowledged that while such occurrences are not widespread, they do happen, facilitated by electronic warfare systems.
Zelensky also mentioned that Ukraine is applying lessons learned from previous collaborations with Middle Eastern countries to address these drone threats. “They taught us what to do, and these are relatively quick and effective solutions,” he explained.
The Ukrainian leader expressed readiness to deploy expert teams to assist Baltic nations, stating, “We are already doing this with our close partners. I cannot disclose all details, but I believe this is one of the solutions.”
Furthermore, Zelensky argued that these drone incidents underscore the necessity for European nations to engage in peace negotiations. “You are currently providing an example of how countries suffer due to these drone incidents, as this is our land, our continent. We must be confident that tomorrow will bring safety,” he said, urging these nations to take part in discussions.
Earlier, Zelensky announced plans to send Ukrainian instructors on counter-drone measures to Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Romania. The Baltic states have previously reported incursions of Ukrainian drones into their airspace, with Ukrainian officials attributing these occurrences to Russian electronic warfare systems. Foreign ministers from these countries have also accused Russia of intentionally redirecting Ukrainian drones.
Estonia is looking to Ukraine for expertise in countering drone incursions following recent incidents in Baltic airspace. Both leaders discussed the implications of these events and the need for European nations to engage in peace negotiations.