This is language which Tsahkna says Russian leader Vladimir Putin understands.

"Putin only understands the language of strength, and that's exactly the language Trump spoke yesterday," Tsahkna said. "The U.S. President gave significant political weight to the messages that all NATO allies expressed yesterday in the statement following the Article 4 consultations, which were convened at Estonia's request. We can be confident that NATO allies are firmly committed to collective defense," the minister went on via a press release.

Tsahkna also welcomed Trump's latest statements on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, calling them "positive."

"Estonia has consistently stated that Russia has not achieved any credible breakthrough on the battlefield, and that with enough political and economic pressure, Russia can be defeated. President Trump, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday, expressed the same view," Tsahkna noted. He added that it is now critically important to rapidly increase international pressure on Russia. "Europe is on the right track here, preparing to adopt the 19th sanctions package."

This is the language Putin understands. https://t.co/h81OgfE8Dk

— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) September 23, 2025

Recent events also show Estonia's success in rallying allies against Russian provocations, with the UN Security Council meeting at Estonia's initiative and NATO holding Article 4 talks, Tsahkna said. "We've received an unequivocal confirmation that there will be no compromises on the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty within the Alliance, and NATO allies remain fully committed to Article 5," referring to the NATO treaty principle of an armed attack against one or more alliance members being considered an attack against all. Of them, Tsahkna went on.

As part of the UN High-Level Week, Tsahkna joined an event dubbed "Restoring Childhood and Humanity," led by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and organized by Canada and Ukraine, focusing on Ukrainian children deported by Russia. He said, "Russia is using children as a weapon — tearing them violently from their Ukrainian roots, imposing propaganda, and militarizing them," urging the international community to keep full pressure on Russia to ensure every child returns home safely and enjoys a full childhood.

Tsahkna highlighted Estonia's efforts to identify deported Ukrainian children, support their return, and aid rehabilitation, including backing a human rights center in Zhytomyr, west of Kyiv, opened this year. Over 19,500 Ukrainian children have been deported to Russia since the full-scale invasion began; in 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Putin and Russian politician Maria Lvova-Belova for organizing their deportation and illegal adoption.

The International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children was established on February 2, 2024, to coordinate efforts by Ukraine and partners, now including 41 countries.

While in New York, Tsahkna met the Estonian community there, joined an informal EU foreign ministers' meeting, signed the Declaration on Humanitarian Workers, and spoke at a Beijing +30 women's rights event. He also held bilateral talks with foreign ministers from the Maldives, Andorra, the UAE, New Zealand, and also with the International Crisis Group's Comfort Ero.

Tsahkna is due to continue taking part in UN High-Level Week events through to Thursday.

After meeting with Zelenskyy in New York on Tuesday, Trump said Ukraine "is in a position to fight and win all of Ukraine back in its original form", in a significant shift from his previous stance.

Last Friday morning, three Russian fighter jets violated Estonian airspace, prompting NATO Article 4 consultations and a unified call from allies for Russia to immediately stop its aggressive breaches.

Tsahkna has highlighted NATO's clear unity and strong solidarity on the issue, emphasizing that Estonia is not alone as the alliance beefs up its eastern flank defenses.

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