Hanno Pevkur announced his resignation as Estonia’s Minister of Defense amid a scandal involving defense procurement related to Ukraine. In his statement, he highlighted the advancements made in Estonia’s defense over the past four years, affirming his commitment to supporting Ukraine and believing that Estonia has become an international leader in these areas.
Pevkur pointed to significant developments during his tenure, including salary increases for Estonian military personnel, an expanded army, and a rising defense budget aimed at enhancing national security.
He emphasized the importance of public trust, noting that great achievements rely on the confidence of the people, and elaborated on the accountability of leadership. “Every team member must be accountable for their decisions. However, ultimate responsibility rests with the leader. A leader must have the dignity and courage to take responsibility, even when it is not personal, but serves a higher purpose – the defense of the state,” he remarked.
Pevkur expressed his belief that under his leadership, the right decisions were made to strengthen national defense and that Estonia is now better protected than ever before. He reiterated the necessity for the country to maintain its military reserves and to steadfastly support Ukraine, which he mentioned plays a crucial role in guaranteeing Estonia’s safety.
In closing, he thanked his team for their collaboration, especially Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, for their trust. “The security of Estonia is not the project of one person. It is our shared responsibility,” he concluded.
ERR recalled that during the ammunition scandal, former head of the State Defense Investment Center Magnus-Valdemar Saar stated that all major decisions were made in consultation with the Ministry of Defense leadership, including Pevkur. The minister admitted he had not reviewed the contracts, even though they were passed to him by the Center, explaining that it was not his role to handle contract details, which are managed by subordinate structures, while his responsibility was to make principled decisions regarding support for Ukraine.
Context
- Hanno Pevkur took office as Estonia’s Minister of Defense on July 18, 2022, marking the longest uninterrupted tenure since Estonia regained independence in 1991.
- During his term, Estonia’s defense spending rose from 2% to over 5% of GDP.
