Estonian flag. File photoMOSCOW, Aug 13China's refusal to condemn the Russian special operation in Ukraine influenced Estonia's decision to end cooperation in the 16+1 format, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said.Earlier, the Estonian and Latvian authorities decided to end cooperation with China in the «16+1» format.
"This (refusal to condemn the special operation) was definitely a factor that we took into account when making a decision. Before that, we consulted with a number of allies", Reinsalu said in an interview with Bloomberg.
According to the minister, the format did not have a significant political result. Tallinn will prefer to conduct relations with Beijing through the EU, Reinsalu stressed. According to an informed source, Latvia and Estonia sought to ensure that other countries also refused to cooperate with China in this format. Three or four countries are considering leaving the format, but the adoption of this «political» decision will depend on which leader is currently in power, the source added. The «16 + 1» format is a format for cooperation between China and the countries of Eastern and Central Europe , which is mainly of a trade, economic and investment nature, but at the same time covers issues of relations in the field of culture, tourism, science and education. /> The Finns advised Estonia to create an army before dreaming of a «NATO sea»