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Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna believes Europe risks falling into another Kremlin trap if it accepts the role of a neutral mediator in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
According to UATV English, Tsahkna made the remarks during his speech at the Kiel Security Conference in Germany, as reported by Estonia’s Foreign Ministry.
The Minister argued that Moscow is currently exploiting fears of escalation and false hopes for diplomacy in an effort to divide the West.
Tsahkna stressed that over the years, Putin had repeatedly encouraged the West to hope that his aggression would come to an end.
Many believed this after Russia’s invasion of Georgia, the annexation of Crimea in 2014, and the signing of the Minsk Agreements. However, Tsahkna said, all of those hopes ultimately proved unfounded.
“The second trap is fear. Russia seeks to intimidate the West with threats of escalation. We must not fall into either of these traps,” he said.
According to the Minister, Europe should not assume that Russian aggression will end simply through dialogue.
“In some circles, there is hope that because Russia is now in a weaker position, it may be possible to engage it through dialogue. In reality, Europe must maintain strategic patience, increase pressure on Moscow, and stand firmly alongside Ukraine. Europe must not allow itself to be drawn into the role of a neutral mediator – that would be another trap,” Tsahkna said.
The Estonian Foreign Minister emphasized that Ukraine’s military strength is critical to the security of the entire European continent. For this reason, he argued, the West should view Ukraine not as a consumer of security but as a reliable provider of it.
“This week, the world’s attention was focused on a burning Moscow, which is yet another demonstration of Ukraine’s growing military capabilities and its ability to strike targets deep inside Russian territory,” Tsahkna concluded.
As previously reported, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron criticized a decision by António Costa to establish dialogue with Putin.
According to media reports, Costa recently made contact with the Kremlin in an effort to engage Putin in discussions on possible ways to end the war in Ukraine.
Read also: Ukraine Preparing the Ground for Control of Crimea’s Skies — Military Expert
