Estonian defence committee chief: eastern border should be closed

The chairman of the Estonian Riigikogu's National Defence Committee, Kalev Stoicescu (Eesti 200), has called speculative the recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report about a possible limited Russian attack on a NATO member state.

On August 7, WSJ reported, citing the latest US intelligence assessments, that Russian President Vladimir Putin, having struggled to conquer Ukraine, could test NATO's resolve in coming years with a limited attack on one of the alliance's countries. Possible scenarios mentioned include both cyberattacks and a small-scale ground incursion.

Speaking on the program "Aktuaalne Kaamera," Stoicescu said it has long been known that Russia is hostile toward countries supporting Ukraine and is trying to take cheap revenge on them for their support and opposition to aggression. In his view, there is nothing new in this.

"I don't believe Russia could attack NATO in the near future. It can't even overcome Ukraine. It's very hard to imagine how it could wage war on two fronts at once," Stoicescu said.

He noted that the US intelligence assessment cited by WSJ is not based on intelligence data pointing to concrete Russian plans or preparations. According to him, it is speculation — everyone knows Russia can harm its neighbors and is willing to do so, but this shouldn't be repeated and amplified daily, since in the worst case it could turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

As an example of Russian aggressiveness, Stoicescu cited the recent incident at Leipzig airport, where a drone carrying explosives was discovered. He noted that Germany's request for security consultations with the Baltic states, the Nordic countries, and Poland was no coincidence. The only conclusion, he said, is that vigilance and internal security must be strengthened, starting with the eastern border, which should be reinforced further and, in his opinion, also closed.