Tallinn Hosts Nordic-Baltic Summit with Ukrainian President
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with leaders of Nordic and Baltic countries in Tallinn to bolster support for Ukraine, discussing increased military aid, Ukraine's path to EU and NATO, and conditions for a ceasefire.
On Tuesday, June 10, 2026, Tallinn hosted a summit of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8), bringing together Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Estonian President Alar Karis, and leaders from several other countries. The meeting aimed to deliver a diplomatic blow to Russia and create conditions for future peace negotiations.
Participants emphasized that now is the right time to increase support for Ukraine, as Russia has lost the initiative on the battlefield, though it attempts to compensate with brutal attacks on Ukrainian cities. Russia's human losses are very high, and Ukraine's long-range strikes have significantly damaged Russia's oil industry, causing fuel shortages in many parts of Russia and occupied Crimea.
The NB8 countries have provided €42 billion in military aid to Ukraine, the largest per capita support. However, Ukraine now needs help against Russian ballistic missiles. Zelenskyy promised close cross-border cooperation to intercept drones straying into the region.
President Karis stated that Ukraine is Europe's bulletproof vest, shielding Europe from evil, and therefore deserves a place in the EU and NATO. Estonia supports starting accession negotiations as early as June. Ukraine expects swift political decisions from the EU, having done everything necessary to begin talks.
Zelenskyy considers this summer decisive. To reach genuine peace negotiations, pressure on Russia must intensify through diplomacy. A ceasefire is the first step, but complicated, as experts must define what a ceasefire means in modern warfare dominated by drones. For a substantive ceasefire, Zelenskyy believes a leaders' meeting involving Ukraine, Russia, Europe, and preferably the US is needed. Karis stressed that nothing about Ukraine should be decided without Ukraine, and nothing about Europe without Europe.
The summit solidified unity among Ukraine's supporters, expanded joint actions to pressure Russia, and intensified steps to bind Ukraine closer to Europe and NATO. Russia must understand that time only weakens its negotiating position.
