Estonia offers its defense industry capacity to support Ukraine’s security forces

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur, during a visit to Kyiv, proposed using Estonia’s defense industry capabilities to support Ukraine’s Security and Defense Forces, according to a Ukrainian Defense Ministry statement released Tuesday.

Pevkur met with a Ukrainian delegation led by Deputy Defense Ministers Serhii Boiev, Kateryna Chernohorenko, and Valerii Churkin to discuss security assistance priorities and industrial cooperation.

“Estonia will continue to help and support Ukraine – over 0.25% of our GDP is allocated for this purpose. We are working to ensure Ukraine has everything necessary for a just and lasting peace,” said Pevkur.

Estonia pledged to continue supplying ammunition and announced new financial contributions this year, including €5 million ($5.4 million) to the IT Coalition and another €5 million for the training of Ukrainian soldiers.

The two sides also agreed to enhance cooperation on drone supplies. Estonia, a participant in the drone coalition for Ukraine co-led by Latvia and the UK, presented its domestic production capacity for unmanned systems.

“The cooperation format with Estonia proves effective, as it allows us to select the necessary capabilities to supply our Defense Forces. This is the kind of model Ukraine looks to replicate with other allies,” Boiev said, adding that a list of Ukrainian priorities had been shared with the Estonian side.

Chernohorenko briefed the Estonian delegation on Ukraine’s progress in digital defense technologies, including applications developed by the ministry and the DELTA system.

“Creating convenient and technological solutions is essential for military-state interaction. We are setting an example for other countries in military digital services,” she said, thanking Estonia for its support and leadership in the IT Coalition.

Ukrainian defense officials expressed gratitude to Pevkur and the Estonian people for their consistent military, financial, and humanitarian support, as well as for standing by Ukraine on the international stage.