If NATO wants peace, it is necessary to prepare for a defensive war against the Russian Federation, – the Prime Minister of Estonia

Michal is confident that NATO can increase defense spending / UNIAN collage, photo – ua.depositphotos.com, wikipedia.org/Alexandros Michailidis – Council of the European UnionNATO members are going to increase their total defense spending to 3% of each country’s GDP. This was announced by the Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michal in an interview for The Times.

It is noted that Michal received British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and eight other European leaders at a security summit in Tallinn. He told them that if the Allies wanted peace, they needed to prepare for a defensive war against Russia, which could begin in the next five to ten years.

“Russia has a mentality that war is something sacred, that it is a holy war, and they are against everyone. They are against Europe, they are against NATO, they are against the United States. And the only way to turn from this path is to meet something bigger on it or stronger,” explained the Prime Minister of Estonia.

The publication recalled that last week NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that European countries need to return to the level of military expenditures of the “Cold War” era, when defense expenditures regularly exceeded 3% of GDP, because today the security threat is even higher.

Other Estonian officials told reporters that they were confident that NATO would raise the bar to 2.5% or 3% in the near future. Not least because of the new lists of specific demands put forward by the Alliance to the national armed forces.

“I believe that we will achieve momentum, and more and more countries understand that they need to do more. It’s not just about the words that Trump utters. It’s about real needs,” Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur shared with the publication.

Mikhal also assured that Russia will be ready to start full-fledged peace negotiations only if the Western allies put Ukraine in a position of strength.

“Russia has not made it clear that Putin has changed his goals. In my estimation, he will change his goals only if he receives strength and power in return, no less. What is politeness to us is weakness to him, as we have already seen in many similar situations: he will take it and use it,” he told reporters.

Estonian officials drew attention to the fact that the Russian economy is currently in a difficult situation, the publication added. They noted that the ruble has lost more than 20% of its value against the dollar in 2024, with base interest rates at 21%.

In addition, officials say that if Ukraine manages to hold out until spring, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will face growing discontent within his own regime.

“If we looked at the Russian economy the way we look at other economies… the Russian economy would be like a train wreck in slow motion. But since the Russian narrative is different, the only way for the Putin regime to stay in power is to continue such a war, because under during the war, his critics cannot ask any questions,” the prime minister shared.

Ukraine and NATO – the latest newsEarlier, former adviser to US Secretary of State Matthew Bryza said that each of the NATO countries can send peacekeepers to Ukraine without the Alliance’s permission. According to him, only Ukraine should decide and give permission for the deployment of peacekeeping forces on its own territory.

In addition, Politico reported that Ukrainian President Zelenskyi will discuss sending peacekeepers to Ukraine with NATO and EU leaders in Brussels. It is noted that European leaders plan to meet with Zelenskyi on Wednesday.

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