Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The Foreign Minister has no doubt, that Putin will continue down the path of war.
The Foreign Minister has no doubt, that Putin will continue down the path of war.
“No one took him seriously”
Estonia’s Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, believes Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is a personal battle for survival.
In an interview with BILD, he stressed that Putin revealed his ambitions back in 2007 at the Munich Security Conference—but Europe ignored the warning signs.
“No one, absolutely no one, took him seriously,” Tsahkna said, highlighting years of Western naivety.
“You can’t negotiate with Putin”
Tsahkna draws chilling historical parallels, stating that Putin is following in Stalin’s footsteps.
“He is cooperating intensively with Europe to prepare aggressions and occupations,” he warns.
For Estonia and its neighbours, this isn’t a theoretical threat—it’s their daily reality. Violations of Baltic and Polish airspace suggest Russia is already probing NATO’s boundaries.
What if Russia wins in Ukraine?
If Putin were to declare victory in Ukraine, the Estonian diplomat is confident that the Russian President would then turn elsewhere – simply because he has no choice.
As an example that Putin’s power is threatened, Tsahkna points to the near-uprising in Moscow in 2023.
A rebuke to Merkel: Strategic mistakes
Tsahkna openly criticises Germany’s past approach to Russia, especially under former Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Responding to Merkel’s claim that Poland and the Baltic states encouraged war, he said, “I completely disagree. It was a strategic mistake to negotiate with Putin for so long—Nordstream 1, Nordstream 2 and so on.”
He calls Merkel’s remarks “regrettable.”
Germany today: Stronger and more united
Despite his critique of Merkel, Tsahkna praises Germany’s current position under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, noting a shift in Berlin’s stance toward Russia and the Baltic states.
Merz’s warning that Europe is no longer at peace, Tsahkna says, is absolutely right.
Trump’s blunt approach shook Europe awake
Surprisingly, the Estonian foreign minister credits U.S. President Donald Trump for spurring Europe into action.
He praised Trump’s warning that if Europe failed to defend itself, it would be left on its own.
After Trump’s failed summit with Putin in Alaska, his stance became firmer.
Hungary: A weak link in EU unity
Viktor Orbán’s Hungary came under sharp criticism from Tsahkna, who called it the EU’s “weak point” in forming a united stance against Russia.
But as Tsahkna points out, the Hungarian people suffered under Soviet occupation, making it difficult for him to understand why the current Hungarian leadership is cooperating with Putin.
China: Russia’s economic lifeline
Tsahkna didn’t mince words about China’s involvement in the conflict.
He even called China “the real owner” of Russia, and explained how he thinks Russia is working as China’s proxy, destabilising Europe on behalf of Beijing.
Ukraine is fighting for all of Europe
Estonia’s support for Ukraine runs deep—and personal.
Tsahkna was the Estonian Defence Minister in 2017, where, he says, Russia had 120,000 soldiers ready to attack Estonia within 48 hours.
Those troops are now tied down in Ukraine.
The threat is real—and already here
For Estonia, Russian aggression isn’t a distant concern. It’s unfolding across their borders and in their skies.
The airspace has been violated, as well as Poland’s, and it’s all part of Putin’s testing of NATO’s readiness.
Tsahkna’s message to Europe is clear: The war is not just Ukraine’s fight. It’s everyone’s.
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, which may have used AI in the preparation
