“Estonia and Finland face the same security challenges and have a shared view of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Close coordination and developing joint next steps are therefore extremely important, and today’s visit provided an opportunity to do so,” Tsahkna said.
The Foreign Minister also briefed his Finnish counterpart on the circumstances surrounding the arson attack on defence industry company Milrem Robotics and the fact that, based on security information gathered by the Estonian Internal Security Service, it was an act of sabotage ordered by the special services of the Russian Federation.
“Estonia and Finland share the view that Russia’s acts of sabotage against Europe will not deter us from supporting Ukraine. Together, we will continue our efforts to bring Russia’s war of aggression to an end by supporting Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia,” Tsahkna said.
The foreign ministers also discussed the European Union’s enlargement and the EU’s next long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
“A strong European Union on the world stage is beneficial to both Estonia and Finland. The Union’s enlargement and a sufficiently large budget are crucial for addressing the many challenges of today,” said Tsahkna.
Preparations for the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference, to be held in Estonia in January 2027, were also discussed, along with further strengthening economic relations between Estonia and Finland and improving connectivity and mobility in the region.
“An important element of this would be the tunnel between Tallinn and Helsinki, which should be seen as an extension of the Rail Baltica rail network. In this way, the tunnel would not only connect Estonia and Finland more closely, but also strengthen the links between the Nordic and Baltic countries and the rest of Europe, increase the region’s competitiveness and promote tourism,” Tsahkna said.
According to the Foreign Minister, the tunnel is also important for protecting critical undersea infrastructure.
“In recent years, we have seen on several occasions how vulnerable critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea is. A tunnel between Tallinn and Helsinki would enable us to better protect vitally important connections, thereby also strengthening our security,” the Foreign Minister said.
Relevant authorities at city, regional and national level are involved in the tunnel project. In light of this, the Foreign Minister also discussed the Tallinn–Helsinki tunnel with Helsinki Mayor Daniel Sazonov during his visit.
“It is important to cooperate at both city and national level and to take practical steps on both sides of the Gulf of Finland that would enable us to make progress with the tunnel project,” Tsahkna said.
