Estonia's defence minister resigns over Ukraine arms deal controversy

Estonia’s defence minister Hanno Pevkur has resigned over an arms deal to supply artillery shells to Ukraine using €70 million in European Union funds and involving Indian company, Euronews reported. It emerged on Wednesday that Estonia had paid the amount upfront for the shells, but the Indian company Neco Defence Munitions involved had no previous record of selling artillery ammunition. Estonian newspaper Eesti Ekspress reported that in 2024, Estonia signed a shell-supply deal with Italian-registered Datasel, owned by Indian company Neco Defence Munitions. Neither company had previously manufactured shells. The 2024 deal is now being challenged by Estonia in an arbitration case. Pevkur, who has been defence minister since 2022, said he was taking political responsibility for the controversy. “Although the minister does not count socks and ammunition or conduct contract negotiations, the National Audit Office’s criticisms, primarily concerning the activities of the Defence Forces and the Centre for Defence Investments, raise the question of political responsibility,” Pevkur said. The minister said he had not read the contracts, as defence ministers do not usually handle individual arms deals. “The defence minister does not conduct contract negotiations. The defence minister does not count socks and ammunition,” Pevkur said, adding: “The defence minister makes the fundamental decision to support Ukraine.” Pevkur’s resignation comes as the Russia-Ukraine war has already lasted longer than World War I, with no clear signs of peace or a return to normalcy.