"I have no intention to" — Estonian PM rejects US request to soften rhetoric on Russia

The Estonian prime minister made this statement in a comment to Delfi.

Response to Signals from Washington

According to Kristen Michal, Estonia and the other Baltic states are speaking openly about the threat from Russia and will continue to stand by their position.

At home, we hear politicians’ pre-election complaints that we aren’t being decisive enough, while the news tells us that our allies from the world’s largest country are asking us to exercise restraint. This is the situation we find ourselves in. I have no intention of holding back. Putin is a dictator who kills women and children. And he will continue to do so until he is forced to change course– Michal emphasized.

The Estonian prime minister also listed the measures NATO has taken in recent years to deter Russia and noted that “clearly, our firm stance and clear statements are unsettling Russia.”

According to Michal, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is suffering increasing setbacks on the battlefield, and fires in Russian cities and ports are forcing him to act like a terrorist.

In addition, the Estonian prime minister highlighted his country’s financial contribution to the West’s collective security. Estonia allocates nearly 7% of its GDP to NATO, including its defense spending.

Meanwhile, Lithuanian officials noted that they had not received similar signals from the U.S., according to LRT. The office of President Gitanas Nausėda reported that partners had not approached the Lithuanian leader or his advisers with requests to be more restrained in their statements about Russia.

As a reminder, it was previously reported that the Pentagon called on the Baltic states to tone down their rhetoric regarding Russians.