On 4 March, Undersecretary for Legal and Consular Affairs Kerli Veski was in Ankara, Türkiye, where she met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Levent Gümrükçü and Director General for International Law Kaan Esener to discuss the bilateral relations of Estonia and Türkiye, including the fight against impunity, sanctions policy, and legal issues related to the defence of critical submarine infrastructure.
The meetings covered closer cooperation on following and upholding international law, preventing impunity, and preventing the circumvention of sanctions imposed by the European Union. Veski underlined that Russia’s aggression posed a threat to not just Ukraine but more broadly to Europe and to NATO, where both Estonia and Türkiye are members. “If we want lasting peace, we must continue pressuring Russia on the battlefield, politically, and economically,” Veski said, adding that the sanctions were having a clear impact on Russia’s economy and its ability to wage war against Ukraine.
Her agenda also included talks on the defence of critical infrastructure and deterring the shadow fleet, where Estonia continues to cooperate fully with the countries bordering the Baltic Sea, as well as with other allies and partners.
In addition to representatives of Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, Veski also met with the head of the Delegation of the European Union, Ambassador Thomas Ossowski. At the meeting, Veski said that Türkiye was an important strategic partner of the European Union, and cooperation was crucial for ensuring Europe’s security.