Tsahkna defends Silmet exemption, urges end to Russian dependence

Estonia asked for a Russian magnesium plant that supplies raw material to Silmet to be excluded from the European Union’s latest sanctions package. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna defended the request in an interview with ERR, saying Estonia should not damage its own industry blindly while seeking to hurt Russia.

Tsahkna said Estonia had set conditions for Silmet after the European Commission notified the company that it was included on a list of strategic businesses. Any European funding, he said, should require Silmet to end its dependence on Russia. The government is also pressing the company’s Canadian owner to find new supply chains.

Asked whether the case undermined Estonia’s reputation as a strong advocate of sanctions, Tsahkna said the country would continue to support sanctions and Ukraine. He argued that Europe remained too dependent on Russia, particularly for rare earth metals, and said European technology companies, including those in the defence industry, could face serious difficulties if Russian supplies stopped.

Tsahkna said Estonia had proposed sanctions against many companies and individuals, but that names sometimes disappeared during the European Commission’s preparation of draft packages. He said Estonia did not know who had requested the removal of some names and companies from the latest list.

He also said that around 1,600 companies and individuals had been sanctioned on Monday.