The Foreign Affairs Committee is on a working visit to Paris today and tomorrow. The meetings in the French National Assembly will focus on security situation in Europe before the NATO Warsaw Summit and the European Council.

The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Sven Mikser described France as an extraordinarily important ally and partner for Estonia. “It is important for Estonia that France understands the European security in the same way as we do, and contributes to the shaping of the new deterrence stance of the NATO on the Eastern flank of the Alliance,” Mikser said.

Mikser named Russia’s aggressive behaviour as the most direct threat to Estonia’s security, and said that it was crucial for allies to stand united against this threat. “At the same time, we cannot but feel solidarity with our allies, and sympathetic about their problems, particularly in light of the terrorist attacks that recently shocked France,” Mikser said.

The parties will also discuss extending the EU sanctions against Russia, the situation with fulfilling the requirements of the Minsk agreements, as well as the ways to mitigate the migration crisis that has hit the Union, and the security situation in the Middle East.

Today, the Committee is meeting the President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly Elisabeth Guigou and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Director on European Union Affairs Christophe Léonzi.

The agenda of the meeting with the Director of the French Institute of International Relations Thomas Gomart includes relations between EU and Russia, as well as issues concerning energy, security, and digital solutions.

The Committee will also meet the Vice President of the Estonian Friendship Group of the National Assembly Jérôme Lambert.

In addition to the Chairman of the Committee Sven Mikser, the delegation also includes the members of the Committee Andres Herkel, Juhan Parts, Keit Pentus-Rosimannus and Henn Põlluaas.

Riigikogu Press Service
Epp-Mare Kukemelk
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