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Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas sees NATO in a "very closed position".
Photo:
RAIGO PAJULA / AFP
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has warned against making concessions to Russia in the Ukraine crisis. Europe and the US would have to act "very carefully" and not "take any steps towards Russia," Kallas said in an interview with the AFP news agency on Friday. The West shouldn't offer Russia "anything they didn't already have." It is up to the government in Moscow alone to de-escalate the situation.
Kallas said Russia was following a Soviet approach to the Ukraine conflict, issuing ultimatums in exchange for concessions from the West.
The Prime Minister of Estonia stressed that the NATO countries generally took a "very closed position" on the Ukraine issue.
The Allies did have "different ideas" and "different tactical approaches," but "overall we stick together."
Estonia wants to deliver anti-missiles from GDR stocks
According to Western information, Russia had gathered around 100,000 soldiers and heavy equipment on the Ukrainian border.
This is fueling fears in Ukraine and the West that Russia may be preparing to invade the neighboring country.
The government in Moscow denies this.
She demands that NATO troops be withdrawn from Eastern European countries like Estonia, which joined the alliance after the end of the Cold War.
According to information from Tallinn, the Estonian government has the US's agreement to deliver "dozens" of Javelin anti-tank missiles and some 122mm howitzers to Ukraine.
The howitzers come from former GDR stocks.
For their delivery from Estonia to the Ukraine, however, the approval of the federal government would be required, which is not available.
Russian President Vladimir Putin complained on Friday that the West was ignoring his country's security concerns.
Kallas, on the other hand, said the NATO allies had recently spoken about "strengthening, not weakening" their position towards Russia.
This is good for defense and "deterrence," emphasized the head of government.
mas/AFP