Estonian opposition calls for eastern border closure after Russia violates airspace
Urmas Reinsalu, the leader of Estonia's opposition party Isamaa (Fatherland), has said that the violation of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets shows why it is necessary to close Estonia's eastern border.
Source: Reinsalu in an interview with ERR, an Estonian public broadcaster, as reported by European Pravda
Details: According to Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro, closing the land border is not currently under discussion, as this was a violation of airspace, and closing the land border would require some kind of provocation on land.
Meanwhile, Reinsalu believes that this incident shows why it is necessary to close the border after all.
"I think it is appropriate to respond to this increasingly provocative activity from Russia by closing the eastern border. The security situation is clearly becoming more tense, also on the eastern border, and I think this is a relevant response to Russia's behavior," said the leader of the Estonian opposition.
He also said that Estonia needs to consider what options the country has and what tools can be used to express its condemnation and respond to Russia's actions.
He said that closing the border will also require consultations with Estonia's southern neighbours in order to implement this step jointly.
Background:
- On 16 September, Isamaa introduced a bill proposing to close the border with Russia.
- On 19 September, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland without permission and remained there for a total of 12 minutes.
- After that, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russia's chargé d'affaires in Estonia to lodge a protest and hand over a note regarding the violation of airspace.
- US President Donald Trump said that he doesn't love the fact that three Russian MiG-31s entered Estonian airspace
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