The objective of the Foreign Ministry’s preliminary analysis was to map the risks and opportunities of the COVID-19 pandemic according to the duration of the crisis. The analysis covers topics such as NATO and transatlantic relations, the European Union, the UN, regional cooperation, and relations with Russia and China.
“If the crisis lasts a short period of time, its effect on foreign and security policy will be moderate, however, it will have an impact and we must be ready to protect our foreign and security interests in changing circumstances,” Reinsalu said. According to him, a more drawn-out crisis could intensify existing foreign and security policy oppositions and this would require a continued reinforcement of the security architecture predicated on NATO and the EU. In case of a longer crisis, we must also keep in mind that geopolitical oppositions will deepen, and the global competition for equipment and resources will increase. Therefore, it is important to prevent a health and economic crisis from evolving into a foreign policy and security crisis.
“In order to emerge from the crisis successfully, we must cooperate and take coordinated action,” Reinsalu said. “In the European Union, our primary interest is to ensure the complete functioning of the internal market as quickly as possible,” he said. He added that the procurement difficulties that emerged during the crisis highlighted the fact that the European Union must be better prepared for situations like this – for example, it should be able to produce in Europe. It is also necessary to protect companies that are having difficulties from takeovers by companies of third countries.
“We must also work to make sure that transatlantic security cooperation is even more united and stronger after the crisis,” Foreign Minister Reinsalu emphasised, adding that we must focus on further developing the defence capabilities of NATO. “This also requires Estonia to prioritise defence spending,” Reinsalu said. Estonia continues to focus on preserving and bolstering collective security, maintaining deterrence and defence posture during and after the crisis, reinforcing cooperation between NATO and the EU, especially on military mobility, boosting cybersecurity, and containing disinformation against NATO.
The key is to engage in regional cooperation to reduce the pandemic’s paralysing impact on societies and the economy, especially in areas such as opening cross-border movement and organising the transport of goods, including opening strategic transit corridors and restoring land links with the rest of Europe and NATO allies.
“In order to emerge from the crisis, we must coordinate strategies, improve information exchange, and develop vital strategic links. In terms of security in this changing situation, strengthening the special relationship with US has even more strategic weight,” Reinsalu said.
He noted that the crisis demonstrated the vital importance of e-solutions for the functioning of the state at various levels and in various domains. “This crisis is a great opportunity for new digital cooperation initiatives. Among other things, Estonia has the ambition of taking a leading role in reducing the digital gap in the world,” the foreign minister stressed.
Discussing Estonia’s UN Security Council membership, Reinsalu emphasised that the rapid spread of the coronavirus and resulting instability could affect international peace and security. “In particular, the pandemic leads to a deterioration of the humanitarian situation in conflict areas, such as Syria or eastern Ukraine. This is why Estonia plans to address the issue of COVID-19 at the Security Council during its Presidency, based on the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire,” Reinsalu said, outlining Estonia’s opportunities at the Security Council.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
Communication Department
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