MILAN — Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has resigned from his position, following reports of a €70 million ($81 million) procurement controversy allegedly involving failed European Union-funded artillery projectile deliveries for Ukraine.
“As defense minister, I of course have to recognize that I am responsible for the entire area under my minister and if you’re waiting for that big answer, then, of course, a leader must have both the courage and stature to take responsibility as a matter of political responsibility, even when there is none,” Pevkur, who has served as minister of defense since 2022, said during an interview with Estonian ETV news show Aktuaalne kaamera on Wednesday. “I will take that responsibility, and the Prime Minister will have to find a new defense minister.”
The Estonian Ministry of Defense acknowledged Pevkur’s resignation the same day, thanking him in a social media post for “leading Estonia’s national defence and for [his] steadfast support of Ukraine.”
The leadership shakeup came days after the Estonian National Audit Office (Riigikogu) on Aug. 28 published its annual report on the state of accounts and the legality of transactions conducted, in which it identified several significant issues in the activities of the institutions under the MoD. These included continued shortcomings in the administration, monitoring and implementation of contracts, as well as checking the conformity and arrival of received goods.
