Washingtoni Eesti Selts tähistas Eesti iseseisvuse 107. aastapäeva laupäeval, 22. veebruaril, Läti Luterlikus kirikus Rockville’is, Marylandis. Üritus algas südamliku Eesti hümni esitusega. Washingtoni Eesti Seltsi president Alan Tomson tervitas külalisi, millele järgnes tervitus Marju Rink-Abelilt, kes esindas Eesti Rahvuskomiteed Ameerika Ühendriikides (ERKÜ).
Õhtu kulminatsioon oli liigutav etteaste BaltimoreWashingtoni Segakoorilt, kellega hiljem liitusid ka Eesti Kooli lapsed. Suursaadik Kristjan Prikk pidas sisuka kõne, mõtiskledes Eesti iseseisvuse saavutamise teekonnast ja arutledes Ukraina praeguse kriisi üle.
Õhtu kõrghetkeks oli lummav kontsert, kus esines Eesti sopran Hälis Rünk, keda saatis endine Eesti sportlane ja pianist Egle Uljas-Černá. Külalised nautisid meeleolukat ühislauaõhtut, kus pakuti mitmesuguseid maitsvaid roogasid, mille olid valmistanud Washingtoni Eesti Seltsi liikmed ja üritusel osalejad.
Õhtu lõppes Alan Tomsoni märkustega eestlaste tähtsast rollist ameeriklaste hoiatamisel Venemaa ohu ja selle agressiooni eest Ukrainas.
Järgnenud seltskondlik tund lõi suurepärase meeleolu, tugevdas kogukonnavaimu ja jättis osalejatele kustumatud mälestused.
Alan Tomsoni lõpukõne
I want to apologize. Today I should talk about Estonia’s Independence, but instead, I need to discuss current events.
Today, I address you not just as fellow Estonians but as witnesses to history. Our nation has endured the long shadow of Russian oppression, and we hold a responsibility—a duty—to share our firsthand knowledge with the world. Most importantly, we must warn our American friends about the dangers of unchecked Russian aggression. Ukraine’s fight today is not just their own; it is a battle for the principles of sovereignty, democracy, and the rule of law that bind us together. It is a fight we cannot afford to let the world ignore.
For decades, Estonia and the Baltic States bore the weight of Soviet occupation. We saw our people exiled, our culture suppressed, and our freedom stolen. We understand, in ways only those who have suffered can, the true nature of Russian imperial ambition. Today, Ukraine suffers the same cruelty—its cities bombed, its people massacred, its children taken. To stand by and let Ukraine struggle alone would not only be a moral failure but a strategic disaster. Russia will not stop unless it is stopped.
We can argue that Ukraine is far away and that the conflict is not America’s concern. But history tells us otherwise. Inaction emboldens tyrants. The failure to confront aggression in one place paves the way for new wars elsewhere. Estonia, the Baltic States, Poland, and the entirety of NATO are watching closely, because we know that if Russia is not defeated in Ukraine, its hunger will grow. Putin has said as much himself.
Supporting Ukraine is not charity; it is an investment in global stability. If Russia is allowed to carve up Ukraine, where will it stop? Will the Baltic States be next? History teaches us that dictators do not stop until they are forced to.
Americans have always stood on the right side of history. But they must understand, and we must make them understand, that their leadership is needed once more. Estonia has lived under Russian oppression. We know the cost of silence, the cost of hesitation. Let us be the voice that warns, the voice that convinces, the voice that ensures Ukraine is not left alone.
America has been a beacon of liberty. Do not let that light fade. Stand with Ukraine. Strengthen NATO. Defend democracy—not just because it is right, but because the cost of doing nothing is far too high. Let Estonia’s experience be its warning.
Let Ukraine’s struggle be our cause. And let our united resolve be the reason freedom prevails. We have a responsibility to educate Americans and let our voices inform and help them understand. We, Estonians, stand with Ukraine.
Thank you.
