Estonia's defiant stance against Russia: A call for stronger Western unity
Ukrainian flags on every corner, graffiti defaming Russia, and posters threatening Putin with Nuremberg trials. Estonians call on the West, saying, "If all countries did the same, the war would have already ended," and they discuss their readiness for a potential attack by Putin.
4 April 2024 14:38
Estonia is perhaps one of the lesser-known members of the European Union but stands as a steadfast ally of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
In an interview with "Gazeta Wyborcza", Estonian Defence Minister, Hanno Pevkur, shared how the Baltic nation, home to just over 1.3 million people, is gearing up for a potential confrontation with Putin.
"Russia won't alter its course, at least not any time soon. For us, this means we must take their threats very seriously. We've witnessed this in 2008 in Georgia, in 2014 in Crimea, and in 2022 during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Given recent developments in Russia - specifically, Putin's re-election - the Kremlin now has free rein to do as it pleases. But as an Alliance, we are mightier than Russia," says Hanno Pevkur, as quoted by "GW".
Pevkur stresses that Estonia aspires to align with the West and, by alerting its citizens about the war, aims to alert the entire European Union and NATO as well.
"I'm convinced that if all nations within the Ramstein Group [editors note: referring to countries backing Ukraine militarily] did the same, the war would have already concluded," assures the Estonian Minister of Defence.
He further criticizes Western countries for their inadequate efforts, stating that mere discussions about support or sending supplies to Ukraine are insufficient when arms should be delivered daily.
"Soldiers on the front line need to feel our support, to see that equipment keeps arriving and will continue to. It's crucial we do more than just speak of sending aid. They must witness new consignments arriving each day," underscores Pevkur.
The Estonian minister notes that his country's populace is far better prepared for war than other nations.
"We've lived under this threat for many years... That's why we offer courses for students at universities and for high school pupils, train entrepreneurs, managers, and decision-makers in private firms," he details in GW.
Pevkur also openly discusses the potential backing from Western countries during a Russian invasion.
According to the Estonian Minister of Defence, if a threat emerges to the United States, Estonia, or Poland, "we must all be ready to offer our support."
"This exemplifies the essence of NATO," emphasizes Hanno Pevkur.
