Estonian Foreign Minister: US Did Not Urge Softer Tone on Russia
Estonia's foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, told public broadcaster ERR that Washington has not officially asked Tallinn to change its rhetoric on the Russian threat. He said the claims come from anonymous sources.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has stated that the United States has not recommended that Estonia soften its statements about the threat posed by Russia. He made the remarks in an interview with Estonia's public broadcaster ERR, as reported by the Ukrainian outlet European Pravda.
Response to reports of a Pentagon request
Earlier, the news agency Reuters reported that Pentagon representatives had approached Lithuania and several other NATO member states, asking them to tone down their rhetoric about the Russian threat. Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas replied that he had no information about such a request and stressed that Lithuania bases its statements on Russia on facts.
Tsahkna said Washington had made no official proposals for Estonia to change its foreign policy or communication. He noted that the reports rely on anonymous sources, which he cannot and does not wish to comment on.
Estonia's views are respected
The minister said both the US and NATO as a whole hold Estonia's opinion in high regard because the country is an expert on Russian affairs. According to him, Estonians are able to see deep inside Russia, and their expert assessments and intelligence are highly valued.
Tsahkna emphasised that Estonia is in constant contact with the US on security policy, including the stationing of American troops in Estonia and NATO defence plans. He said it is not in Estonia's interest to provoke Russia in any way, adding that it is rather Russia that provokes Estonia. For that reason, he said, no pressure is applied in either direction and the issues are discussed jointly.
He also stressed that the Baltic states, Estonia included, have never allowed any aggression in their statements. In his view, the whole narrative stems from Russian President Vladimir Putin's wish to undermine the political unity of the Western world.
