Doing something with the expectation of a reward will never bring true fulfilment. Estonia had expected that NATO would give them the leading role, yet their expectations were not met and they were left feeling disappointed.
Estonia’s Kallas hope
We all know how crucial an ally Estonia has become for Ukraine in recent times. However, Estonia was not aiding Ukraine without a purpose. It was all Estonia’s greed that pushed it as the best candidate for the job in Kyiv.
The lust and greed are now wide open, with Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, making it official. Prior to the commencement of the EU leaders summit on 23rd March in Brussels, Kallas gave her fellow leaders this advice.
In a press brief before leaving for Brussels, Kallas stressed, “We have been members of NATO and the European Union for 19 years. Since Russia began its invasion campaign to seize Ukraine, countries like Estonia and its Baltic neighbors are being heard — and driving policy — like never before. However, it’s time to also put some of those people in charge.”
“We should be on the radar for top jobs,” she added. “We have been proving ourselves in both of those organizations,”
From her office in Tallinn, Kallas took a break from her coalition talks to form a new government and went to Brussels. Kallas had just won the national election, prevailing over another party in part by championing her support for Ukraine and anti-Russia policies.
This win marked a major eastward shift in European power dynamics, as Estonia had entered both the EU and NATO in 2004 alongside other former Soviet-era Eastern Bloc countries. As a nation of 1.3 million people, Kallas’ victory was a testament to the country’s increasing influence on the world stage.
Now, Estonia has formally demanded EU and NATO recognition. This is why Estonia was deliberately making rounds in the Ukraine-war with its assistance.
The Estonian factor in the Ukraine war
Over the last year, Estonia has come out as a crucial ally of Ukraine and a prominent player for the west against Russia.
In a sign of solidarity with Ukraine, Estonia has announced that it will increase its military support to more than 1% of its GDP. This is in line with the NATO defence ministers’ agreement to increase defence spending to 2% of their respective GDPs.
The Estonian people have also provided support to Ukrainian refugees who have been displaced due to the war. Former Estonian Prime Minister, Jüri Ratas, has said that the country has already taken in more than 50,000 migrants and will continue to do more for those affected by the conflict.
As per NATO standards, Estonia’s efforts to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia are admirable. The country’s government and citizens have shown great compassion for the victims of the war and have pledged to do more to protect the nation and its citizens.
Estonia has been able to demonstrate its importance in the region by providing a secure environment for the people of Ukraine, while also showing its strength in the face of potential Russian aggression. Sometimes, even teasing Russia on purpose.
For instance, when the tensions between Russia and the West were increasing in August 2022, the Governor of the Russian Pskov region, Mikhail Vedernikov, warned that NATO drones have been attempting to cross the Russian border from Estonia.
Whereas, Estonia had also announced to Finland that it will close the Gulf of Finland for Russian ships. This means Estonia was ready to choke St. Petersburg port entirely.
The Estonian leader had left no stone unturned in her attempt to provoke Russia. She has surely been doing the dirty work for her Western overlords but the only sufferers were the innocent Estonian civilians who were losing money with each passing day.
There was a point in Estonia where inflation was literally crossing the 20% mark. It was almost certain that Kallas might have to leave the office. But, her smart play just before the elections saved her face.
Kallas pushed the issue of same-sex marriage in the Estonian general elections and she won with a better mandate than in 2019. Now as Kallas is sitting on a comfortable throne, she has openly announced her intentions to be the top leader in NATO and EU.
Read More: Estonia was a happy and prosperous country, then it sold its brain
A ‘Day-dream’
No eastern European countries are in charge of the EU’s three main organizations: council, commission, and Parliament. And none have ever led NATO. Yes, not a single leader from Romania, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia has ever led the so-called mighty defence alliance.
The closest eastern European leader to lead the Western bloc was Donald Tusk as president of the European Council from 2014-2019.
Kallas precisely wants NATO leadership in her hands as Jens Stoltenberg is going to leave the office very soon. Or, she might need an equal say as big guns of the EU, Germany, and France.
For years, France and Germany have had an undue influence over Brussels, which eventually eclipsed other countries’ ambitions as well as interests within the bloc. East European countries in particular have received very step-brotherly treatment from Brussels, despite these countries having expertise in dealing with Russia, given their territorial and cultural proximity.
However, the power dynamics in Europe have changed as a result of the post-Ukraine war. Eastern European countries have now begun to question the EU’s dominance over them.
However, one must genuinely respect Tallinn’s covert strategy for winning the support of the EU and NATO. While a number of other countries have openly criticised the supreme leader’s lenient stance towards them.
Kallas maintained her composure and made sure Tallinn was the first to comply with any requests from the EU and NATO.
Read More: EU’s reconfiguration of power takes it East
But, if Tallinn wants the top position, there is still a long way to go. The big guns, like France and Germany, will never allow any third power to challenge them because they constantly worry that if any other European countries rise like phoenix, their influence will be severely weakened.
Therefore, exposing the true cards would not help Kallas; it would only hurt her. She only wanted one thing. But her overzealous enthusiasm is about to ruin everything.
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