Estonian PM questions Western assistance discrepancy between Israel and Ukraine
Estonia’s Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, questions why similar assistance is not extended to Ukraine during EU leaders’ discussions, comparing Middle East conflict to the ongoing crisis along the EU border
Western nations aided Israel in repelling a substantial drone and missile onslaught by Iran, prompting Estonia’s prime minister to question why similar assistance isn’t extended to Ukraine, a plea she emphasized during EU leaders’ discussions on Wednesday.
Drawing comparisons between the current fighting in the Middle East and the ongoing crisis along the borders of the European Union, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas suggested possible lessons in collective defense.
“When we see how different countries are working together to stop Iran’s attack on Israel, it shows that we can do more,” said Kallas, a prominent opponent of the Kremlin who supports more European support for Kyiv’s defensive operations.
“We could furnish Ukraine with air defense systems akin to those deployed, enabling them to intercept incoming attacks,” she suggested.
Over 300 drones and missiles were fired by Tehran, purportedly in revenge for an attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus on April 1 that was generally blamed on Israel. The majority of the rockets were intercepted by Israel’s air defenses, with assistance from US, British, French, and Jordanian forces, causing little deaths and damage.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky urged supporters to show the same “unity” in backing Ukraine as was seen in the reaction to Israel’s defense after the tragedy. Dmytro Kuleba, the foreign minister of Ukraine, notably pushed for a comparable defense against aircraft attacks.
Kallas said, “These are the same drones employed in the relentless attacks on Ukraine,” alluding to the Iranian-made Shahed drones that Russian troops were using in the fight in Ukraine.
“If our allies can neutralize these threats elsewhere, they possess the capability to do so in Ukraine,” said Kallas.
Source: AFP
