Zelenskyy meets NB8 leaders in Tallinn – focus on military aid and Ukraine's path to EU and NATO
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met on Tuesday in Tallinn with Estonian President Alar Karis and leaders of the Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8) to strengthen support for Ukraine. The emphasis was on increased military aid, defense against Russian missiles, and Ukraine's road to the EU and NATO.
On Tuesday, June 10, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Tallinn with Estonian President Alar Karis and leaders of several other countries to deliver a diplomatic blow to Russia and create conditions for future peace negotiations. The meeting took place within the framework of the summit of Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8), currently chaired by Estonia. In addition to the NB8 prime ministers, Finnish President Alexander Stubb also arrived in Estonia, who also had a bilateral meeting with Zelenskyy.
Baltic and Nordic countries have provided 42 billion euros over the years to assist Ukraine militarily, the largest aid per capita. However, Ukraine currently needs help against Russia's ballistic missiles. For his part, Zelenskyy promised close cooperation across the border to intercept drones that have strayed into the region.
President Karis said after the bilateral meeting that Ukraine is a bullet-proof vest for Europe, has kept evil away from Europe. Therefore, Ukraine has a rightful place in the European Union and NATO. Estonia supports the rapid opening of accession negotiations already in June. For Ukraine, accession cannot be a distant hope, but rather a justified expectation.
Zelenskyy stressed that the current summer is of decisive importance. To reach actual peace negotiations, there is a need to further strengthen pressure on Russia and to advance in diplomacy. The first step is a ceasefire, but achieving a ceasefire is also complicated. First, experts must agree on what a ceasefire actually entails in a situation where the use of drones has greatly changed the nature of war.
In order to reach a substantive ceasefire, Zelenskyy believes there is a need for a meeting of leaders from Ukraine and Russia, and certainly from Europe and preferably also from the USA. Ukraine's desire for a ceasefire exists. Alar Karis emphasized that if negotiations come, then nothing about Ukraine must be decided without Ukraine, and nothing about Europe without Europe.
