Estonian Prime Minister: Russia's defeat is crucial to avoid Third World War

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has issued a stark warning to the West, underlining the urgent need to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. She emphasizes that inaction could lead to a broader regional conflict, potentially escalating into a third world war.

While in Brussels this week, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) gave an interview to several European publications, in which she said a Russian defeat in Ukraine would help avoid a potential third world war.
"[If] Russia [were to] lose this war, then we don't have to worry about the Third World War," Kallas said. "We want to have peace, but we want to have sustainable peace, and peace in Russia's terms is not sustainable," she added.

Kallas advocates for increased defense expenditure in Ukraine and Europe, suggesting that a unified effort from the Ramstein coalition and NATO allies, including the citizens of the West, could significantly bolster Ukraine's military capabilities. She emphasizes that Russia's reluctance to engage NATO militarily underscores the deterrent effect of a strong European defense, a defense that the audience can contribute to.

Addressing concerns over Russia's nuclear threats, Kallas dismissed them as tactics to instill fear, citing Russia's history of psychological warfare. She also highlighted the challenges faced by smaller nations like Estonia in justifying defense spending during peacetime despite the looming threat from neighboring Russia.

The prime minister criticized the failure of some NATO countries to meet their defense spending commitments, noting the urgency of investing in defense amidst ongoing conflicts. She urged EU leaders to prioritize defense needs and effectively communicate them to citizens, even at the cost of political backlash.

Kallas proposed common borrowing or defense bonds as viable solutions in light of divisions over financing defense expenditures within the EU. However, she acknowledged the complexity of reaching a consensus among member states.

Kallas emphasized the global implications of the Ukraine conflict, urging a strategic response to safeguard international security. She supported French President Emmanuel Macron's "strategic ambiguity" approach. She called for more effective EU sanctions against Russia, including measures to counter circumvention by third countries.

The full interview is available on EUobserver's site.