Estonia’s top diplomat thinks Russia’s war on Ukraine goes well beyond the front lines.
Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna shared in an interview that, in his opinion, the United States holds the primary position as the main adversary for Putin and Russia, rather than Europe. He provided this insight during an exclusive conversation with Fox News in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.
“He has a plan to restore the Soviet empire, and this is exactly what he’s doing. Ukraine is just one example,” he added.
Reflecting back to a significant event nine years ago, Tsahkna, who was then fulfilling his role as Estonia’s defense minister, witnessed a gathering of 120,000 Russian troops stationed just near the border, prepared to launch an invasion of his country within a mere 48-hour timeframe.
Starting from the latter part of 2023, approximately eleven undersea cables in regions such as the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland have suffered damage from being severed. While suspicions point towards Russia as the likely perpetrator, Tsahkna expressed challenges in confirming this assertion with certainty. Furthermore, more than 14 individuals linked to Russia’s covert maritime operations have been apprehended. Additionally, there are indications of potential involvement from China in at least one instance of sabotage.
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since their Oval Office spat in February. (Vatican and Ukraine Ambassador to Holy See)
NATO deployed warships off the coast of Estonia in January, and since then no cables have been cut, officers told Fox while on two ships in the Gulf of Finland Tuesday.
When asked about the prospects of a ceasefire and eventual end of hostilities in Ukraine, Tsahkna replied with a warning:
“President Trump has said very clearly that he wants to have peace. The Ukraine [sic] people want to have a [sic] peace – and I think that this is something that Putin doesn’t want.”
Tsahkna does not believe Putin would ever use nuclear weapons, calling such a move “political suicide.”
“He’s just brutal, but also sometimes, from the Western part of the world, we are too weak,” Tsahkna added. “Putin is playing with our fears.”
