Estonian foreign minister: Putin exploits Western fear of escalation
Estonia's foreign minister Margus Tsahkna told Latvian Television that Russia is trying to exploit Western fear of escalation, while Baltic states have become immune to it. He also warned of possible more serious provocations against NATO.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, during a visit to Riga, told Latvian Television that Russian President Vladimir Putin is deliberately exploiting Western countries' fear of escalating the conflict.
According to the minister, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles and Finns are no longer susceptible to such fear, while in Central, Western and Southern Europe, fear of escalation still works and creates division among states. Tsahkna believes this is exactly what Moscow wants to achieve.
Goal: less pressure on Russia
Tsahkna explained that through this approach, Russia hopes countries will reduce pressure on Moscow and scale back support for Ukraine, hoping for a compromise deal to end the war that would be acceptable to Putin. He said allies therefore have a duty to publicly identify those responsible and call for greater pressure on Russia.
Warning of new provocations
The minister said that militarily Russia is weak and bogged down in the war in Ukraine, but warned that more serious provocations against NATO are possible. As examples of already rising tension, he cited the attack on Leipzig airport and an attack organized by Russian special services on the Milrem Robotics building in Tallinn.
Tsahkna also noted that Russian intelligence services are paying people from the Baltic states and elsewhere to carry out provocations, warning such individuals that they face severe consequences — long prison sentences.
