- Category
- World
“Appeasing Dictators Brings Only Humiliation”: Estonia’s PM Rejects Softer Rhetoric Toward Russia
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk]( "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal rejected calls to soften rhetoric toward Russia, stating that Estonia would continue speaking openly about the threat posed by Moscow, Delfi reported on October 30.
“Appeasing dictators brings only humiliation, and freedom is lost anyway,” Michal told Delfi. “Estonia, like the other Baltic states, is clear about the Russian threat. We were before, and we will continue to be.”
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
His comments followed a Reuters report that Pentagon officials had asked Baltic states, including Estonia, to moderate their public rhetoric about Russia.
Michal stated that no US official had personally asked him to tone down his language. He last met US President Donald Trump in Ankara during the summer, and the issue was not raised, according to Delfi.
“I am not going to hold back—the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, is a dictator who kills women and children,” Michal stated. “And he will continue doing so until he is forced to change course.”
Michal noted that NATO has taken a series of measures in recent years to deter Russia and argued that Estonia’s direct language naturally irritates Moscow.
-a154dddca1a210d9aab8e2ac1d585c8b.jpg)
“Of course, our straight line and clear message are a thorn in Russia’s side,” he told Delfi. “Putin is increasingly unsuccessful on the battlefield, his own cities and ports are burning, and that forces him to behave like a terrorist.”
At the same time, Michal warned that the coming winter would be difficult for Ukraine.
He added that Estonia spends nearly 7% of GDP on defense when broader national defense expenditures are included, arguing that strengthening NATO’s eastern flank also contributes to wider international security, according to Delfi.
“An adequate threat assessment—and calling a wolf a wolf, not a little forest dog—is a prerequisite for preparedness,” Michal stated.
Estonia’s Defense Ministry declined Delfi’s request for comment on the Reuters report, noting that it was based on anonymous sources.
Latvia has meanwhile expanded its response to hybrid threats along the Belarus border. On October 30, Latvian lawmakers approved wider powers allowing border guards to use firearms and other force to defend border infrastructure after an armed incident involving masked escorts from Belarus.
Discuss this article:
-4a56a6b482ec132402c16ef6fcabf9a2.png)
