NPR’s Scott Simon speaks with Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas about the growing tensions between her country and its neighbor Russia over the war in Ukraine.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Estonia is on the front lines of tensions with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. There’s that shared border, but also a shared history that’s taught this former Soviet republic to fear its huge and aggressive neighbor. We’re joined now from Washington, D.C., by Estonia’s prime minister, Kaja Kallas. Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, thanks so much for being with us.
PRIME MINISTER KAJA KALLAS: Thank you for having me.
SIMON: Are you concerned that Estonia might be next for Vladimir Putin if the Russian invasion of Ukraine is not halted?
KALLAS: No. I’m concerned that NATO might be next. I mean, because in NATO we don’t have, you know, different countries. We just have NATO’s countries. So if there’s attack on one, there’s attack on all. And that’s why we really have to prevent this happening. We have to support Ukraine as much as we can so that this war will not go any further, because if Ukraine is able to defend itself and push Russia back to its borders, then there will be no next. If Russia wins, then there’s going to be complications for the overall global security, because if aggression pays off somewhere, it serves as an invitation to use it elsewhere.
SIMON: Should NATO commit, at some point, air power or troops?
KALLAS: Well, this is the question, of course, that has been also put forward by President Macron recently, asking that – what more can we do in order to really help Ukraine win this war? I think we have been in a situation where we have been guessing. We, as West, have been guessing what Russia’s next steps are.
I think it’s also important that they will guess, or it’s time for them to guess, what are our steps forward. I think there is so much more that we can do – I mean, giving military aid, support so that they can defend themselves….
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