Honoured President of the Republic of Estonia, esteemed compatriots, and dear people of Estonia!
Today, despite the fourth year of full-scale war in Europe, we once again have the opportunity to celebrate the anniversary of our nation as a free people. Our freedom is not a gift bestowed by anyone; it is a right and a privilege that our ancestors fought for and secured for us. The right to be free comes with a responsibility for present and future generations to continually fight because in the global competition between nations there is only one rule: the strong and the large do what they want, while the small and the weak must endure what is imposed upon them.
Having grown weary of watching the devastating war in Ukraine, of seeing victory over the aggressor forbidden, and witnessing the disregard for basic human values, some of the world’s great powers are once again selfishly dividing up the spoils. In doing so, they have failed to learn from history and are unconcerned with the possibility that they are causing other nations to be ensnared in the iron grip of doom. These are difficult times, rapidly becoming even dangerous times, where the rules-based world order humbly retreats before brute force. This is undeniable to any rational mind, no matter how beneficial it might seem to them personally. Our shared goal is to emerge victorious from this harsh trial, uniting forces with our fellow nations and neighbours to the north, south, and west. This is our chance to shape history without falling victim to it.
We, the people of Estonia, are few in number, but we are not a small nation. We have a unique language and culture, advanced knowledge and skills, a remarkable and distinguished history, and, most importantly, the right, will, ability, and wisdom to shape our own future. The military escalation we must forcefully address is once again more likely than hypothetical in our future and fate. But for now, we are still shaping our destiny ourselves.
As a people capable of learning, we foresaw the arrival of dangerous times and, as a society, agreed that no matter when the danger appears, what form it takes, or how overwhelming it may seem, we will stand united against it. Our security policy aims to make any aggression impossible. To achieve this, you, dear people of Estonia, have entrusted us, the Defence Forces, with the task of preventing a military attack, and if that fails, to fight and win the war.
Winning the war is not an empty slogan but a rational mathematical equation, where a country’s resilience equals the product of all available resources, the will to fight, and the authority to use deadly force. If one of these three variables approaches zero, defeat is inevitable. The growth of defence spending and its transformation into real military capability is unavoidable in today’s security situation, and your initial support has already been received. Developing the will to fight, through training focused on the successful conduct of combat operations and maintaining combat readiness, is an integral part of the daily work of the Defence Forces. The activation of collective defence plans, based on independent defence capability, will certainly not grind to a halt in fear of escalation when the decisive moment comes. Therefore, despite the rapidly increasing severity of the situation, we have no reason, need, or even right to feel fear. Fear is never a good companion, as it can lead to cowardly, humiliating decisions, resulting in the loss of a nation’s wealth and, ultimately, its freedom, all for empty promises. We will, however, defend our freedom, dignity, and the future of our loved ones by ourselves and only ourselves. We all have something to fight for and win. Let this be our clear and motivating purpose: to emerge victorious in the ongoing struggle for the survival of the Estonian people. Just as our ancestors did before us, we too will emerge from this situation as victors.
Our future and fate are in our own hands. Right now, we still have the chance to make efforts to prevent a potential war. The next two to five years will be crucial in convincing Russia that aggression against us will fail miserably. We are more prepared for this than ever before, but much work remains to be done, and time is of the essence. Nothing will get easier, but the true charm of life lies in overcoming difficulties. We believe in ourselves and in the people around us, we support each other regardless of the situation, and we are united in avoiding cowardly, foolish, yet disastrous decisions. ‘The only easy day was yesterday’ could be a motivating reminder for our new efforts. This should not, however, limit us from dreaming big, finding joy in the little things, and enjoying life in all its beauty and charm.
I thank you, dear people of Estonia, for your trust, support, and dedication in building the military defence of our free state and preparing for victory on this responsible yet honourable journey. Our Defence Forces will do everything, even the things that seem impossible at first, to achieve the goal that has been set for us, no matter the cost. Let us remember the truth based on the experience of our ancestors: the entire nation wages war, the military fights the battles, and let us each find our role and take personal responsibility for shaping the conditions necessary for victory. A nation ready for victory is one that, by strengthening the credibility of military defence, keeps Estonia free on our shared journey through dangerous times. We must be prepared to fight and win. There is no other honourable choice for us to preserve our freedom. Therefore, we must build the confidence to boldly and credibly declare that Estonia will never submit again.
Long live the people of Estonia!
Long live the Republic of Estonia!
