Estonia claims pressure from Ukrainian MP Pushkarenko of 'Servant of the People' on aid distribution to Ukraine
A scandal has erupted in Estonia surrounding MP Arseniy Pushkarenko of 'Servant of the People.' According to an investigation by Eesti Ekspress, Estonian officials accuse him of attempting to influence the selection of projects that receive funding as part of aid to Ukraine, as well as threatening personnel consequences for officials.
The Eesti Ekspress investigation is based on documents and conversations with more than 20 sources. According to the outlet, the conflict between Pushkarenko and the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) escalated in 2026. Officials at the centre claim that the MP tried to secure funding for specific projects in Ukraine, primarily in Zhytomyr Oblast.
The climax of the conflict was a meeting on 18 June in Tallinn, during which the Ukrainian delegation discussed future projects with ESTDEV management and the organisers of the Ukraine recovery conference.
In a service memorandum prepared after the meeting for the leadership of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is alleged that Pushkarenko repeatedly spoke about a possible change in the Estonian government and called the leader of the opposition Isamaa party, Urmas Reinsalu, the future prime minister.
According to Estonian officials, the MP claimed that after such a change of power, ESTDEV employees and the foreign minister could be held accountable and punished. The memorandum also stated that further cooperation with Pushkarenko became practically impossible due to his behaviour, pressure around certain projects, and conflicts with officials.
Reinsalu himself told Eesti Ekspress that he did not promise Pushkarenko to dismiss any officials if he came to power. At the same time, he confirmed that he was informed about the conflict between the Ukrainian MP and Estonian officials.
Disputes over projects in Zhytomyr Oblast
After Russia's full-scale invasion began, Estonia chose Zhytomyr Oblast as one of the main areas for Ukraine's recovery. ESTDEV implemented a number of projects in the region, including the construction of a kindergarten in Ovruch, as well as educational, digital, and social programmes. Pushkarenko had for many years actively participated in developing Ukrainian-Estonian relations and headed the parliamentary friendship group with Estonia.
According to Eesti Ekspress, problems in relations began to arise after Pushkarenko started publicly linking certain Estonian projects with his own activities. In particular, a plaque was placed on the fence of the kindergarten in Ovruch, stating that the construction was taking place with the support of the MP. Estonian representatives, according to the outlet, demanded that it be removed.
Another conflict, the outlet claims, occurred over housing for large families affected by the war. Pushkarenko allegedly told one family that he represented the Estonian side and could guarantee a place in a house that was being built with Estonia's assistance. ESTDEV emphasised that the MP had no authority to represent the country or independently determine aid recipients.
After that, the Estonian side changed its approach: proposals for reconstruction sites were to be submitted by the official Ukrainian authorities, and the final choice of projects remained with Estonia in accordance with its procedures.
This corresponds to ESTDEV's current operating model. In 2026, the centre received 57 applications for project funding in Ukraine and selected 13 of them for a total of €2.3 million. Independent experts also participate in the evaluation procedure, which, according to ESTDEV itself, is meant to ensure transparency and impartiality of selection.
Estonian Foreign Ministry terminates working contacts
According to the investigation, after the June meeting, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna instructed to terminate working contacts with Pushkarenko. Estonian diplomats were also advised not to hold meetings with him.
The situation, as Eesti Ekspress claims, was reported to Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal and the country's Security Police Department. Tsahkna himself had previously, according to the outlet's sources, directly explained to the MP that Estonia cooperates with the Ukrainian state, not with individual politicians.
At the same time, the history of Pushkarenko's relations with Estonia had long been positive. He regularly took part in Ukrainian parliamentary delegations, and in 2022, the Estonian Foreign Ministry awarded him the Cross of Merit for the development of Ukrainian-Estonian relations.
Pushkarenko is a member of the 'Servant of the People' faction and deputy head of the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Interparliamentary Cooperation.
According to Eesti Ekspress, journalists repeatedly tried to get Pushkarenko's comment, but by the time the investigation was published, he had not answered the questions. Therefore, the claims presented in the material are currently the position of Estonian officials and the outlet's sources; no public response from the MP to these specific accusations has been released.
Sources: Eesti Ekspress, ESTDEV, Riigikogu
