Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s hour-long phone call last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin as a mistake and ineffective.
“No peace will be achieved with this conversation,” Michal said in an Estonian television interview broadcast on Tuesday.
Rather, a positive message would be achieved by giving Ukraine “more help, support, weapons,” he said.
Estonia is in both the EU and NATO, and shares a border with Russia. The country, which was once part of the Soviet Union, has been among the most outspoken supporters of Ukraine in its fight against the ongoing Russian invasion.
Michal said that the coming months are likely to be very difficult for Ukraine due to Russian attacks on infrastructure of critical importance for energy and heating.
Michal called on NATO partners to increase defence spending up to a minimum of 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP). The current NATO target for military spending is at least 2%, while Estonia is spending 3.4% on it this year.
