EU Defense Fund Secures €3.6 Billion Loan for Estonia
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen embarked on a four-day tour to emphasize solidarity with border states and support the development of Europe's defense industry. The tour, which began on Monday, September 7, 2025, includes visits to Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania, all countries bordering Russia or Belarus.
During her visit to Estonia, von der Leyen visited the Ämari Air Base and stated that the aim is to fill all defense gaps by 2030. Estonia, already among NATO's top defense spenders relative to GDP, according to the European Commission chief, plans to borrow €3.6 billion with the help of the European Commission's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) loan instrument to fund their defense spending.
Von der Leyen also stressed the need to tighten sanctions against Russia and bolster defense spending during her visit. The leaders discussed how to move forward with Russia's frozen assets during their meeting. There have been rumors about von der Leyen being kicked out of a meeting with Trump, but no concrete evidence has been provided to support this claim.
Regarding Russia, Estonia's Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that Russia can only be stopped by force and united force. During their meeting, von der Leyen and Michal discussed tightening sanctions against Russia, specifically on its shadow fleet.
In response to questions regarding the EU-US tariff agreement, von der Leyen defended the agreement, stating its importance for both parties. The tour does not include Germany as von der Leyen has stated she is not available for the German presidency.
Ursula von der Leyen will next visit Paris for a high-level meeting on Ukraine, invited by French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, September 12, 2025. The tour, which is a significant step towards strengthening Europe's defense capabilities and solidarity, will continue in the following days.
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