Tag: ESTONIA

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Russia puts Estonian PM on wanted list  

Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council via a video conference at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia on Tuesday, July 04, 2023.(Photo:IANS/Kremlin)

Putting Estonia’s leader on the wanted list marks a further escalation in tensions between Russia and the West. Kallas is considered one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies in the 27-country EU bloc…reports Asian Lite News

Russia has listed Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, a staunch backer of Ukraine, as a ‘wanted’ person. According to the Russian Interior Ministry’s database, Kallas is now wanted in connection with criminal charges, along with Estonian State Secretary Taimar Peterkop and Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys.

The Interior Ministry did not initially specify which charges they faced.

But later, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Kallas and the other two Baltic ministers had been designated as wanted due to alleged “desecration of historical memory.”

The charges specifically relate to the “destroying monuments of Soviet soldiers,” according to a source cited by the Russian state-owned TASS agency. Kallas called Russia’ move “nothing surprising”.

“This is yet more proof that I am doing the right thing – the EU’s strong support to Ukraine is a success and it hurts Russia,” she wrote on X on Tuesday.

“The Kremlin now hopes this move will help to silence me and others – but it won’t,” Kallas added. “The opposite. I will continue my strong support to Ukraine. I will continue to stand for increasing Europe’s defense.”

Putting Estonia’s leader on the wanted list marks a further escalation in tensions between Russia and the West. Kallas is considered one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies in the 27-country EU bloc.

She has consistently called for scaling up military support to Ukraine and suffocating Russia with further sanctions.

Turmoil hit Kallas in August 2023 after it was revealed her husband’s company was continuing to operate in Russia. During a summit of EU leaders in February, Kallas called on countries to do more to provide Kyiv with the ammunition it needs to withstand Russia’s offensive.

She said that the EU’s failure to hit its target of providing Ukraine with one million rounds of artillery within a year was a “wake up call to do more.”

Just months after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Kallas announced her government would remove up to 400 Soviet monuments from public spaces. In August, Estonia removed a Soviet tank from the city of Narva, near the Russian border.

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India, Estonia hold talks on bilateral issues

Both sides held discussions on digital & cyber co-op, global and neighbourhood issues…reports Asian Lite News

India and Estonia here on Wednesday held discussions on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, including UNSC reforms, the Ukraine conflict and India’s G20 presidency.

“12th India-Estonia FOC held in New Delhi, led by Secy (West) @SanjayVermalFS & @KyllikeSillaste, Undersecretary for Political Affairs, MoFA, Estonia,” MEA Official Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted on Wednesday. “Discussions covered bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, including UNSC reforms, Ukraine conflict and India’s G20 Presidency,” Bagchi further wrote.

MEA Secretary (West) Sanjay Verma also tweeted: “Pleasant dialogue with Estonian Under Secretary @KyllikeSillaste. Digital & cyber co-op, global and neighbourhood issues were the thrust of our 12th Foreign Office Consultations.”

Last October, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar extended greetings to his Estonian counterpart Urmas Reinsalu and the people of the country on their National Day on October 9.

Earlier in September, Jaishankar met Urmas Reinsalu on the third day of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Jaishankar and Reinsalu discussed the deepening of bilateral cooperation between the two nations after India opened its Embassy in Estonia.

“Good to meet FM of Estonia @UrmasReinsalu during #UNGA day 3. Discussed the deepening of bilateral cooperation following opening of our Embassy. Also exchanged views on developments pertaining to Ukraine,” Jaishankar had said in a tweet.

The decision to open the Indian Mission in Estonia was taken by the Union Cabinet in 2021 to strengthen ties.

The decision had been awaited since 2013, when Estonia set up its embassy in Delhi, while India dealt with it through its embassy in neighbouring Finland.

From 1918 to 1920, Estonia was caught in the War of Independence against Soviet Russia and on 24th February 1918 it declared statehood, which is commemorated as its National Day. (ANI)

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Sunak to attend Baltic summit, meet troops in Estonia

Sunak will also discuss support to Finland and Sweden ahead of them joining the NATO security grouping and scaling up joint exercises to further strengthen the JEF alliance…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will meet his Nordic, Baltic and Dutch counterparts at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) summit in the Latvian capital Riga on Monday, before heading to Estonia to meet British and NATO troops, the government said.

The JEF, a British-led group of Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, will be addressed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

At the summit, Sunak will call on leaders to sustain or increase lethal aid, economic resilience and political backing to Ukraine in its resistance against Russia’s invasion, according to a British government statement.

The prime minister’s call comes after the UK announced it will supply hundreds of thousands of rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine next year, in a package worth 250 million pounds ($305 million).

Sunak will also discuss support to Finland and Sweden ahead of them joining the NATO security grouping and scaling up joint exercises to further strengthen the JEF alliance.

After the JEF summit, Sunak is expected to meet Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins, before heading to Estonia to meet UK and NATO troops serving on the military alliance’s eastern flank on the Russian border.

Sunak will sign a technology partnership agreement with the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, to bolster technology ties and support new digital infrastructure, the statement said.

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UK and Estonia commit to closer defence cooperation

These forces will regularly exercise in Estonia and the first exercise, Spring Storm, is planned for May 2023…reports Asian Lite News

The United Kingdom will periodically deploy helicopters to Estonia as part of enhancing our nations’ deep defence relationship built on shared interests and values. The Defence Secretary Ben Wallace hosted his counterpart Estonian Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur in London for a meeting, during which the Ministers committed to stronger ties and issued a joint statement. A Guard of Honour welcomed Minister Pevkur on arrival.

The Ministers signed a roadmap which sets out a shared plan to implement commitments made at the NATO Summit in Madrid earlier this year. The roadmap will see a more capable UK presence in Estonia, continuing our commitment to deter aggression and defend European and NATO security.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said, “The UK’s commitment to Estonia and European defence and security is unwavering. The deployment of assets such as Apache and Chinook helicopters to exercise in Estonia is a clear example of the strength of our relationship, and the importance we place on our ability to effectively operate side by side.”

Estonia Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said, “In the roadmap, Estonia have committed to start the development of an Estonian warfighting Division which will ensure coordinated use of national and allied forces in the defence of Estonia. This work will be supported by the UK, who are providing training and mentoring through an advisory team and close links with the UK’s 3rd Division.”

The UK has an enhanced forward presence (eFP) Battlegroup in Estonia, and this deployment will be enhanced through divisional-level assets such as short range air defence and multiple rocket launch systems in the country. These will be augmented with periodic deployments of additional capabilities including Apache and Chinook helicopters. The first of these surges will begin January 2023, when Chinook Helicopters will deploy to Estonia.

From April 2023, the UK’s eFP Headquarters in Estonia will be led by a Brigadier, enhancing the HQ’s capabilities. In addition, the UK will hold a Brigade sized force at high readiness in the UK, ready to reinforce Estonia and the Baltics at a time of need. These forces will regularly exercise in Estonia and the first exercise, Spring Storm, is planned for May 2023.

Estonia is supporting these plans by building four additional accommodation halls and other necessary support facilities at Tapa Camp which will be completed before the exercise begins.

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