Foreign affairs committees of Baltic parliaments meeting in Estonia's Kuressaare

TALLINN - The foreign affairs committees of the three Baltic parliaments are meeting on Friday and Saturday in Kuressaare on the Estonian island of Saaremaa to discuss further cooperation in supporting Ukraine and enhancing the security of the region.

Chairman of the Riigikogu foreign affairs committee Marko Mihkelson said that the cooperation with the Latvian and Lithuanian foreign affairs committees is closer than ever, as is testified by numerous joint visits and statements.

"If we hope to achieve our goals in foreign and security policy, it is crucial that we continue our close cooperation, harmonize our positions and plan our further steps together," he said.

The meeting will focus on supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia, which is continuing its war of aggression. The secretary general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jonatan Vseviov, will take part in the discussion on Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the global security situation more broadly. The Ambassador of Sweden to Estonia Ingrid Tersman will participate in the discussion on cooperation within NATO and strengthening European security.

Delegations of the foreign affairs committees will take part in a commemoration of victims of the 1941 June deportation at Kudjape cemetery and lay flowers on their memorial. They are also scheduled to visit the company Baltic Workboats in Nasva.

Other members of the foreign affairs committee of the Riigikogu to take part in the meeting with Baltic colleagues are Ester Karuse and Luisa Roivas.