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Andrus Merilo, Commander of the Estonian Defense Forces, stated in an interview with Delfi that Russia has sent a global message normalizing the occupation of another country’s territory.
According to Merilo, Russia’s occupation of a neighboring country’s land delivers a clear signal to the world that such actions are acceptable. As a result, through negotiations, this territory is likely to remain under Russian control for some time.
This, he argued, sets a precedent for other states to consider initiating conflicts over unresolved issues or seizing territory from neighbors.
“This fundamentally changes the entire global security architecture,” Merilo emphasized.
He warned that Russia might feel justified in pursuing strategic objectives elsewhere, having succeeded with Ukraine. The cost to Russia in terms of casualties, severe injuries, and economic strain appears to matter little. Instead, it is establishing a new strategic position globally, one that may not be reversed anytime soon.
“If the resolution to the war in Ukraine becomes a frozen conflict, many nations around the world will see Russia as the winner,” Merilo added.
On December 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that Kyiv cannot accept any peace formats that result in a “freezing” of the current phase of the war with Russia.
However, Zelenskyy previously indicated he might consider freezing the conflict if Ukraine’s controlled territory were brought under NATO’s “umbrella.”
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