Tallinn, Stenbock House, 15 January 2018 – at today’s meeting, Jüri Ratas, prime minister of Estonia, and Lars Løkke Rasmussen, head of government of Denmark, focused on defence cooperation, security issues, and the digital development of Estonia and Denmark.
According to the European Commission Denmark is the most digitally developed country in the European Union in the sum of the private and public sector, while Estonia places ninth.
“Clearly, Danish and Estonian people are similar with regard to the digital area,” Ratas said, adding that Estonians and Danes are connected by vital services in banking, telecommunication, and energy, for example. “We are, however, also surrounded by new security risks. This means that we must increase cooperation in cybersecurity and the fight against hybrid threats as well as strengthen strategic communication to counter disinformation,” Ratas said.
Ratas suggested closer cooperation between national data exchange platforms, much like the one already in progress between Estonia and Finland, as a way to strengthen cooperation in the digital area.
Yesterday, the prime ministers met with the NATO battlegroup and the Danish contingent, which joined the group last week, in Tapa. At today’s meeting, the prime ministers also discussed the topics of the NATO summit taking place in July, as well as ways allies can better act together, if necessary. According to Ratas, increased presence of allies has strengthened the security of NATO as a whole. More information about the prime ministers’ visit to Tapa Army Base together with the ministers of defence of Estonia and Denmark is available here: https://www.valitsus.ee/en/news/prime-ministers-ratas-and-rasmussen-met-nato-battlegroup-tapa.
The prime ministers also discussed relations between Estonia and Denmark, the future of the European Union, and the situation in Ukraine, which continues to affect the relations between Estonia, Denmark, and the rest of the European Union and Russia. The prime ministers confirmed that performing the Minsk agreements, i.e. achieving peace, and respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine are prerequisites for improving relations with Russia and lifting the sanctions imposed on the country.
According to the prime ministers, the relations between Estonia and Denmark are in good shape and constructive. The near future will bring festivities in the form of celebrating the centenary of Estonia and the 800th birthday of the Danish flag. “Next year marks 800 years since the battle near Tallinn, which is connected to the origin legend of the Danish flag, Dannebrog. I am certain that we can celebrate those two significant events – Estonia 100 and Dannebrog 800 – together,” Ratas said.
Photos from the meeting: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7y2p78daz0rh11h/AAAo6BG1vuwPK6py8VSrFKTUa?dl=0
