Estonia's foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, has warned that Russia is “already attacking Europe” and trying to “boil Europe as a frog” with hybrid attacks edging closer to NATO territory. Speaking on Sky News, Tsahkna said European allies cannot just “ignore them” and must instead start ramping up the pressure on Russia.
Baltic states prepare for Russian aggression
The Estonian politician claimed that European countries on Putin's doorstep are “immune” and more equipped for Russian attacks. Poland and Lithuania are in the midst of developing procedures, logistics, and infrastructure, including putting together escape routes through the Suwałki Gap. The strategic corridor is around 40 miles wide at its narrowest point and is NATO's only land connection between the Baltic states and the rest of the alliance.
Tsahkna said he is “much more concerned about Western democracies”. He claimed the Kremlin is “already attacking Europe” and that European countries as well as the Baltic states are seeing “more and more attacks” intended to test and divide NATO's unity.
Attribution of attacks to Russia
He warned: “We cannot just ignore them and say this is just an incident or hybrid attack. These are the attacks that are not reaching Article 5 level, but we need to attribute these actions publicly to Russia because our people should know Russia is acting very aggressively already.”
“They are turning on the heat, trying to boil Europe as a frog over the years. And then testing and dividing our unity.”
Tsahkna said he does not think Russia could mount a full-scale invasion of a NATO country in the near future, but claimed this is a “new phase of Russian aggressive behaviour”.
Germany singled out and Polish warnings
“This is a new phase of Russian aggressive behaviour but it doesn't mean we will have full scale military invasion but we need to prepare that Russia will act more actively in the future”, Tsahkna said. He then singled out Germany, saying he believes the country needs to take the threat posed by Russia more seriously.
Last month, Poland's prime minister Donald Tusk claimed that the next few months will bring “very intensive actions” from Russia, which could launch “hybrid drone or missile strikes”. He said an attack on Polish territory could not be ruled out. Tusk added that such attacks could be intended to test NATO's willingness to invoke Article 5, which states that an armed attack against a NATO ally is legally considered as an attack against all 32 members of the alliance.
Russia has repeatedly denied carrying out hybrid attacks against European countries and has blamed growing tensions between Moscow and Europe on Western leaders.
