Maryana Betsa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, participated as a speaker in the thematic sessions of the 19th Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn, Republic of Estonia.
On May 16, Maryana Betsa spoke at the event’s main panel discussion, “From Frontline to Foundation: Ukraine’s Strategic Place: From Frontline to Foundation,” dedicated to Ukraine’s strategic place in the future architecture of European and Euro-Atlantic security, Ukraine’s contribution to strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities, as well as the role of Ukraine’s combat experience, technological innovations, and resilience in shaping 21st-century security.
At the beginning of her speech, Maryana Betsa expressed gratitude to Estonia, international partners, and everyone who continues to support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in their struggle against Russian aggression.
“Russian aggression extends far beyond Ukraine’s borders and constitutes an attack on democracy, international law, and the entire global security architecture. The outcome of the war will determine the international community’s ability to defend the UN Charter, the principles of international law, and the rules-based international order,” emphasized Maryana Betsa. She also added that Russia seeks to turn Ukraine into a buffer zone and divide the world into spheres of influence.
The Deputy Minister stressed that Russia has not abandoned its goals of destroying Ukraine as a state and the Ukrainian nation.
She drew the participants’ attention to the latest large-scale Russian attack against Ukraine’s civilian population on May 14, emphasizing that Ukrainians face terror, war crimes, and crimes against humanity on a daily basis.
Maryana Betsa emphasized that Russia is significantly weaker than it tries to appear, while Ukraine has proven its ability to successfully resist one of the world’s largest armies.
The Deputy Minister stressed that Ukraine today is not only a recipient of security assistance but also one of the key contributors to European and transatlantic security. In this context, the diplomat called on international partners to further strengthen military support for our country, develop joint defense production, and foster technological partnerships, which will help strengthen the autonomy of Europe’s defense capabilities.
Maryana Betsa paid special attention to the issue of Russia’s responsibility for the crime of aggression and war crimes, emphasizing the historical significance of establishing a Special Tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
The Deputy Minister also drew attention to the need to further intensify sanctions pressure on Russia, particularly regarding the “shadow fleet,” the banking sector, the nuclear industry, and mechanisms for circumventing sanctions.
Maryana Betsa reaffirmed Ukraine’s unwavering commitment to EU and NATO membership as the most effective and long-term guarantee of security for Ukraine and all of Europe.
The panel discussion also featured Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Sebastian Hartmann, Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Ministry of Defense; Mark Montgomery, Senior Director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies; and Jennifer Cavanaugh, Director and Senior Researcher for Military Analysis at Defense Priorities.
On May 17, as part of the conference, Maryana Betsa participated in the panel discussion “Burning the Archive: When Memory Becomes a Battlefield,” dedicated to countering the manipulation of historical memory and the destruction of cultural heritage in wartime.
In her remarks, Maryana Betsa emphasized that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is also a war against the historical memory and identity of the Ukrainian people: “Russia is systematically attempting to erase Ukraine from maps, archives, literature, and the international consciousness. That is why the destruction of museums, archives, libraries, churches, memorials, and universities is not a random consequence of war, but a deliberate criminal policy of the Kremlin.”
In this context, the Deputy Minister called on the international community to respond appropriately to such Russian attacks on cultural heritage, archives, and historical memory as war crimes, to strengthen mechanisms for documenting them, and to invest in the resilience of democratic societies against information manipulation and disinformation.
During her visit to Tallinn, Maryana Betsa also met with Bob Dane, head of the security department at the Klingendal Institute of International Relations, and gave interviews to the Spanish newspaper *El Mundo*, the Estonian public broadcaster *ERR*, Finnish media, and the American publication “The Wall Street Journal.”
An important part of the program was a meeting with the Ukrainian community in Estonia, specifically with the Congress of Ukrainians in Estonia, the Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Estonia, and leaders of the Ukrainian community.
On behalf of Minister Andrii Sybiha, Maryana Betsa presented the “Amber Heart” award to the head of the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Tallinn, volunteer Bohdan Lyutyuk.
During the meeting, the Deputy Minister briefed attendees on the measures taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to strengthen ties with Ukrainians abroad and thanked community representatives for their practical assistance to our country in countering Russian aggression.