• Tuesday, 24 December 2024

Estonia decides on further military aid for Ukraine

Estonia decides on further military aid for Ukraine
Estonia plans to supply Ukraine with additional weapons, such as mortars and anti-tank weapons, to use in its conflict with Russia, the government in Tallinn said on Thursday. The Baltic EU and NATO country also plans to support a British initiative to expand the training of Ukrainian armed forces and donate a second field hospital to Ukraine in cooperation with Germany, Estonia's Ministry of Defence said in a statement. "The fighting in Ukraine continues to be intense. Although more and more western weaponry is reaching the frontlines, our moral responsibility is to continue supporting Ukraine," said Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur. "They are fighting for our shared values, and if there is anything we can send to Ukrainians, we have to do so." Estonia says it has given Ukraine €250 million ($252 million) in military aid since the beginning of the Russian invasion nearly six months ago. Among the weapons supplied were US-made anti-tank mines and Javelin anti-tank missiles. The Baltic state of some 1.2 million people also handed over several howitzers from old East German stocks to Kiev, the transfer of which had been approved by the German government.