Russia will not intimidate me, Says Estonia's Prime Minister
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas disregarded a warrant issued by Russia for her arrest on Sunday, dismissing it as a mere intimidation tactic amidst speculations of her potential candidacy for a prominent European Union position.
Formerly under Moscow's rule but now a member of both the European Union and NATO, Estonia has steadfastly supported Kyiv, with Kallas emerging as one of Moscow's staunchest critics following the Russian invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.
Russian authorities added her and several other Baltic politicians to a wanted list on Feb. 13, citing the destruction of Soviet-era monuments.
In an interview with Reuters during the Munich Security Conference, Kallas stated, "It is meant to intimidate and dissuade me from the decisions I would otherwise make. But it's a page from Russia's playbook. It's unsurprising, and we are undeterred."
The Baltic politicians face the risk of arrest only upon crossing into Russian territory; otherwise, being declared wanted holds no tangible consequences.
Kallas's prominent advocacy for increased EU support for Ukraine has fueled speculation in Brussels about her potentially assuming a senior role following the upcoming EU parliamentary elections in June, potentially as the foreign policy chief.
She noted that such speculation has further fueled Russia's hostility towards her. "It's tough to be in the limelight," she remarked ironically. "The Russians have also noted that, which is why they issued the arrest warrant to underscore their primary argument against me: that I am a provocation to Russia."
When asked about her interest in any future European role, she replied, "We are not there yet. I'm the prime minister of Estonia."
Last year, Estonia spearheaded discussions to enhance European munitions' supplies to Ukraine, resulting in all 27 EU members agreeing to dispatch 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition to Kyiv by March this year. However, the bloc is anticipated to fulfill only half of the target.
"This highlighted our inadequacy in production and delivery speed," she remarked.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy implored allies at the global security conference on Saturday to address the shortage of weapons, which has tilted the balance in favor of Russian forces on the battlefield.
Czech President Petr Pavel disclosed that his country had identified hundreds of thousands of rounds that could be procured from outside the bloc promptly, contingent upon securing funding.
The extent of support among other EU members for such an initiative remains uncertain, as it could be complicated by export licenses and some nations' reluctance to procure from non-European sources.
"It's certainly a feasible option. We must all recognize the imperative to halt the aggressor," Kallas emphasized. "We learned from the 1930s that the cost escalates with every moment of hesitation, with every delay."
Kallas has also floated the concept of special EU bonds to finance increased defense spending, a proposal that would necessitate persuading traditionally skeptical nations like Germany, the Netherlands, and Nordic countries to support EU joint borrowing.
"I understand the counterargument from countries opposed to this approach, but I ask: What is the alternative?" she queried, adding that a concrete proposal still needed formulation.
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