Estonian Foreign Minister responds to Merkel's remarks, outlining the real reasons behind Putin's aggression

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has criticised the statements of former German chancellor Angela Merkel, who suggested that resistance from Poland and the Baltic states to direct dialogue with Putin may have influenced his decision to launch the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Tsahkna stated on X that blaming Poland or the Baltic states for Russia's aggression against Ukraine is "not only impertinent but simply wrong".

"The real cause is Putin's refusal to accept the USSR's collapse and the West's past appeasement while ignoring clear warning signs. In our region, the true nature of Russia was recognised early," Tsahkna wrote.

According to Tsahkna, most in the West ignored warnings even after the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin openly expressed his anti-Western views and nostalgia for the Soviet Union in his 2007 speech in Munich.

He pointed out that neither the war in Georgia in 2008 nor the annexation of Crimea in 2014 triggered a decisive response from the West.

"Instead, we saw repeated attempts to press the 'reset' button, efforts to seek dialogue with Russia, and a willingness to overlook Moscow's brutality," he added.

Tsahkna also remarked that Germany under Chancellor Merkel had misjudged the cost of economic cooperation with Russia.

"By cheerfully inaugurating the Nord Stream pipeline, Merkel contributed to making her country dependent on Russian energy," he emphasised.

In this context, Tsahkna also referred to the refusal to grant Ukraine and Georgia a NATO Membership Action Plan at the Bucharest Summit.

The Estonian minister stated that these mistakes encouraged Russia and gave it the confidence to launch the full-scale war in early 2022.

"These lessons remind us of a simple truth: Russia responds only to strength.

We must keep isolating Russia internationally, increase economic pressure, and provide Ukraine with military, political, and economic support," he stressed.

Tsahkna added that Europe is now moving in the right direction, and Germany under Chancellor Friedrich Merz "is taking decisive steps to support Ukraine and strengthen its own defence capabilities".

Merkel said in a recent interview that in 2021, together with Emmanuel Macron, she wanted to organise talks between the European Union and Putin, but the Baltic states and Poland opposed the initiative.

She also believes that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine.