- Peru's ex-president Toledo gets 20 years for corruption
- Chile launches vaccine that neuters dogs for a year
- Toxicology tests show Liam Payne had 'multiple' drugs in system: reports
- WNBA players union opts out of deal, now set to end in 2025
- Harris woos on-the-fence Republicans, Trump tours storm damage
- Henderson howler hands Forest victory over Crystal Palace
- Yankees and Dodgers to renew epic rivalry in World Series
- Stock markets mostly slide, oil jumps as China cuts rates
- Parents of Venezuela minors held after election ask UN to intervene
- NBA and Nike extend partnership deal for 12 years
- Israel strikes 300 Hezbollah targets as US urges war's end
- Tourist dreams turn sour after Cuba lights go off
- Italy PM seeks to save Albanian migrant deal amid spat with judges
- Tagovailoa returns to NFL practice Wednesday after concussion
- US infant mortality spiked after right to abortion overturned: study
- Blinken back to Middle East to push for Gaza truce
- Neymar returns for Al Hilal in Al Ain thriller
- TGL set for January start as Woods-McIlroy might meet Jan. 27
- US Grand Prix - three things we learned
- Welsh rugby's future more important to Gatland than saving his job
- Venezuela arrests ex-oil minister accused of US links
- President Biya lands back in Cameroon after health rumours
- Watson out for NFL season with ruptured Achilles tendon
- Disney expects to name Iger's successor in early 2026
- Emery wants to 'break barriers' at transformed Aston Villa
- Hezbollah-linked financial firm an economic lifeline for Lebanese
- London trial probes 2015 Brazil mine disaster
- Police in Mozambique disperse vote protest
- Ancelotti wants goals over pressing from Madrid star Mbappe
- Major crypto, diamond fraud trial opens in France
- Electricity restored to 50% of Havana after nationwide blackout: Cuba state media
- How much aid is getting into Gaza?
- King Charles caps Australia trip with Opera House bash
- England's Buttler out of West Indies ODI series
- Moldova president hails EU referendum win after Russia meddling claims
- Van Dijk talking to 'right people' over Liverpool contract
- Vietnam's top leader pushes anti-corruption fight
- Arteta urges Arsenal to use Bournemouth 'pain' against Shakhtar
- Rabada fastest to 300th Test wicket, as Bangladesh all out for 106
- Erdogan rival Gulen dies in exile at 83
- Man Utd's Ten Hag relishing Europa League clash with Mourinho
- Amnesty says migrant workers exploited at Carrefour Saudi stores
- Fethullah Gulen: ex-Erdogan ally who became public enemy number one
- Seoul demands 'immediate withdrawal' of North Korean troops in Russia
- WHO to evacuate 1,000 Gazan women, children for urgent medical care
- Erdogan's rival Fetullah Gulen dies in exile aged 83
- Gauff-led USA pitted with Canada at season-opening United Cup
- Sanofi pursues sale of painkiller after political controversy
- Rabada takes 300th wicket as Bangladesh stumble to 60-6 at lunch
- Alpacas, hecklers and climate warnings: King Charles visits Australia's capital
RBGPF | 1% | 61.11 | $ | |
JRI | -0.53% | 13.15 | $ | |
BCC | -2.78% | 137.9 | $ | |
NGG | -1.45% | 67.03 | $ | |
RYCEF | -0.68% | 7.4 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.53% | 24.65 | $ | |
SCS | -0.93% | 12.89 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.68% | 24.87 | $ | |
RIO | -0.63% | 64.95 | $ | |
RELX | -1.13% | 47.63 | $ | |
BCE | -0.45% | 33.39 | $ | |
VOD | -1.35% | 9.63 | $ | |
AZN | -1.06% | 77.44 | $ | |
GSK | -1.02% | 38.16 | $ | |
BP | 0.44% | 31.47 | $ | |
BTI | -0.73% | 34.25 | $ |
Estonian PM warns against 'any steps towards Russia'
Europe and the US should be "very careful" not to make concessions to Russia, Estonia's prime minister told AFP on Friday, insisting that Moscow alone can de-escalate the situation.
Kaja Kallas, whose country hosts a NATO multinational battalion, also said she had been holding talks to strengthen NATO's presence in Estonia as a deterrent amid soaring tensions over Ukraine.
The Estonian leader, a former MEP who came to power last year, said Russia was following a Soviet approach of making ultimatums in the hope of being offered some concessions by the West.
"That is something that we should definitely be very careful of, that we don't make any steps towards Russia or offer them anything that they didn't have before," she said in an interview.
Russia has deployed some 100,000 troops to Ukraine's borders in recent weeks, as well as demanding a ban on NATO membership for Ukraine and a pullback of NATO forces in countries like Estonia that joined the alliance after the end of the Cold War.
"Our main concern is that Russia is going to attack Ukraine and then the second concern is how is that affecting the overall security situation in Europe, in particular in Eastern Europe.
"NATO and Russia are sitting at the table and talking but the only one who can de-escalate is Russia," Kallas said.
- 'Different ideas, different tactics' -
Estonia, which was once part of the Soviet Union, has said it plans to send "dozens" of US-made Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine and has received US authorisation to do so.
It also wants to send some howitzers that originally belonged to East Germany and whose transfer would therefore require official approval from Berlin, which has so far refused to give the green light.
Critics have linked this to the mixed signals that the new German government has been giving on the Ukraine crisis.
Asked about the controversy, Kallas said: "It's up to them to decide. For us, it's very important to support Ukraine in all the ways that we can -- whether it's political or some capabilities or some other support that they need".
She said that, in general, NATO had a "very unified position" even though allies had "different ideas, different tactics".
"We might have differences in some small tactics but I think that overall we stick together," she said, pointing also to the sanctions that the EU has said it could impose on Russia.
- 'We are being listened to' -
NATO's "enhanced forward presence" in the Baltic states, which all neighbour Russia, includes multinational battalions in each of the countries as well as air and naval missions.
Russia sees this NATO presence close to its borders as aggressive and President Vladimir Putin on Friday said the West had been ignoring Moscow's security concerns.
Far from pulling back, Kallas said NATO allies had been discussing "strengthening, not weakening the position".
"The enhanced forward presence that is here... is good for defence and deterrence."
"If the neighbour is acting more aggressively then it's clear that in order to deter from making any moves, it's good to increase the capabilities."
In the flurry of diplomacy over Ukraine, Kallas said she was pleased that Estonia was being consulted by its allies.
"We are a very small country, we are only 1.3 million people but we are also at the table and we are being listened to."
E.Raimundo--PC