Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has said that there is no question that Russia could restore normal relations with the West and Europe, Estonian media ERR News writes.
The Prime Minister pointed out that Ukraine’s struggle is also a struggle for the right to exist as a country and to live freely, without oppression. “Russia is a pariah state that needs to be isolated. There’s no room for flirtation with the idea of resuming business as usual with Russia. Our joint pressure against Russia must increase, not decrease,” Kallas said. She added that the international attitude towards Russia must remain firm, and one must think in the long term.
Speaking at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on the 15th of May, the Prime Minister of Estonia emphasized that it is necessary to ensure the complete defeat of the aggressor:
“We should not believe in the goodwill of an outright aggressor and cold-blooded war criminal.
There should be no interpreting of Russia through a democratic lens. “
Kallas referred to the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and reminded that freedom must be better armed than tyranny, and that means continuing to support Ukraine with weapons, ammunition, and training. She pointed out that living next to and stopping the aggressor has its price, and until Russian society is ready to take responsibility for its crimes, everyone should be prepared for the worst scenario. As the politician said, it is necessary to get rid of the gray areas on the European map. To achieve this, Ukraine must become a member of the European Union and NATO.
The Prime Minister of Estonia emphasized that in the eyes of Russia, European democratic governance and the liberal worldview are the enemies that must be destroyed. Therefore, it is important to defeat Russia not only on the physical battlefield but also in a hybrid war: “We in Estonia, at the front line of democracy, have long been aware of Russia’s hybrid tactics.
The Kremlin attempts to influence political and social choices and undermine trust within free unity.
Not only from within but also in relation to trust between countries – one of Russia’s long-term goals is also to undermine unity between the allies.”
Kallas added that only when Russia has to take responsibility for what it has done, it will be possible to talk about peace in Europe, and the entire Russian society must take responsibility.
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