Estonia to support opening all EU negotiating clusters by year-end

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine met with his Estonian counterpart, Alar Karis, in Kyiv to discuss various matters. The Ukrainian leader expressed gratitude to his Estonian counterpart for supporting the opening of all EU negotiating clusters by the end of the year. Zelenskyy emphasized that this development holds significant importance for Ukraine, as it serves as a source of motivation for its people.

During the discussions, the presidents addressed security threats both presently and for the winter months. Karis, who was in his final term as Estonia's president, highlighted that he consistently backed Ukraine throughout the entire conflict, including visiting the country just two days before the onset of the full-scale war. Zelenskyy also acknowledged Estonia's unwavering stance in assessing Russian aggression and their joint efforts in European defense.

Notably, on July 14, Cluster 6 (External Relations) was formally opened in the accession negotiations with Ukraine. Additionally, the first negotiating cluster, "Fundamentals," was approved on June 12, encompassing aspects such as the rule of law, democratic institutions, public administration reform, and economic criteria.