Estonia is considering the possibility of sending its troops to Ukraine for non-combat missions, said the country's Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur. According to him, the Estonian government is discussing the possible deployment of troops in western Ukraine, but no final decision has been made yet. The main task will be to ensure the safety of Estonian instructors who are already involved in training Ukrainian servicemen in other countries.

Pevkur noted that the main priority for Estonia is the security of its forces. In the event of sending a large contingent, for example a brigade with equipment, it could become an important target for Russian troops, which requires careful planning and consideration of all risks. The issue of protecting the military, logistics and security measures play a key role in this process, the minister emphasized.

At the moment, Estonian troops continue training Ukrainian soldiers in Poland and the UK. Pevkur noted that Estonia currently prefers to continue training outside of Ukraine, but does not rule out the possibility of expanding its participation in the future, depending on how the situation develops.

"The Estonian government has discussed the possibility of sending its troops to western Ukraine to perform non-combat missions. We have not made a concrete decision yet. First of all, we must ensure the safety of our instructors. If we had a large contingent, say, a brigade-sized unit with equipment, that would be a very big target for the Russians. We must take into account all the details: force protection measures, as well as logistics. That is why we are currently continuing training in Poland and the UK. We will see how this topic develops.", - Pevkur said.

The minister also stressed that the decision to send Estonian troops to Ukraine would require serious discussions both within the country and with international partners, including NATO.