Estonia believes that NATO has three to five years to prepare for a possible direct confrontation with Russia, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told The Times on Monday.
Last week German media claimed that Berlin was bracing for hostilities with Russia, which it projected could arise as early as summer 2025. Moscow brushed aside the speculation.
Prime Minister Kallas said the Estonian intelligence service VLA had predicted a three to five-year timeframe, noting that it “very much depends on how we manage our unity and keep our posture regarding Ukraine.”
“What Russia wants is a pause, and this pause is to gather its resources and strength. Weakness provokes aggressors, so weakness provokes Russia,” she told the British newspaper.
This month the former Soviet state, which shares a border with Russia, pledged €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) in aid to Ukraine through 2027. Last week, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenksy toured Estonia as well as Latvia and Lithuania.