Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna responded to statements by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who linked Poland's and the Baltic states' resistance to direct contacts with dictator Vladimir Putin to his decision to invade Ukraine in 2022.
Points of attention
- Estonia emphasizes the need to recognize the true nature of Russia and avoid attempts to reset relations or seek unnecessary dialogue with Moscow.
- The Estonian Foreign Minister underscores the importance of understanding the past mistakes and taking a firm stance against Russia's aggression to prevent further conflicts.
Tsahkhna outraged by Merkel's new statements
According to the Estonian diplomat, shifting responsibility to Poland or the Baltic countries for Russia's aggression against Ukraine is "not only inappropriate, but also simply wrong."
He pointed out that the real reason lies in Putin's unwillingness to accept the collapse of the USSR.
Another reason is the appeasement of the West in the past, which ignored clear warning signs.
In our region, the true nature of Russia was recognized quite early,” Margus Tsahkna emphasized.
He also criticized the international community for ignoring the threat even after Putin publicly voiced his anti-Western views and nostalgia for the USSR in his 2007 Munich speech.
The Estonian Foreign Minister recalled that neither the war in Georgia in 2008 nor the annexation of Crimea in 2014 caused a worthy reaction from the world.
Instead, we have seen repeated attempts to press the "reset" button, efforts to seek dialogue with Russia, and a willingness to turn a blind eye to Moscow's brutality, the diplomat complained.
