In a letter to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, President of the European Council, four countries that share borders with Belarus, Russia or both expressed their empathy for being on the front line of the European Union. This sentiment was particularly poignant in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The countries emphasized their unwavering support for Ukraine and called for increased spending and coordination of defense initiatives within the EU and with NATO.
The countries stressed the importance of combining capabilities to protect, deter, and defend their people and territories. They highlighted their investment in armed forces, defense production, and border protection with Russia and Belarus but noted that more needs to be done in a coordinated manner. Specific threats such as migrant instrumentalization, sabotage, disinformation, and cyber attacks coming from Russia and Belarus were cited as issues that pose a threat to the entire EU.
The letter was signed by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, and Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina. These countries have been strong supporters of Ukraine since the Russian invasion. Their call for increased defense cooperation comes ahead of the EU leaders’ summit where topics such as division of responsibilities within the EU, war between Israel and Hamas
