I congratulate Estonia and Russia on signing the border treaties between their two countries. I hope that this time the ratification process can be brought to a swift and successful conclusion. This will mean that all EU member states have legally valid border arrangements in place with Russia.

Undisputed borders are in everybody’s interest, but this is particularly true for the people of that region, since this newly established clarity leads to improved prospects for cooperation.

And it is good news for Europe as well that the Baltic States and Russia have relieved tensions that resulted from their difficult shared history.