Estonian foreign minister: Russia is weakening, now is not the time for talks, but for pressure

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has said Europe should not fall for Kremlin provocations and enter into direct talks with Russia while Ukraine is gaining the upper hand in the war.

Source: Bloomberg citing Tsahkna in an interview on the sidelines of the Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn on 16 May, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Tsahkna said Moscow has stepped up attempts to establish contacts with European countries amidst its declining economy and the inability of its forces to make progress in the fifth year of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

He said the response should be tougher sanctions, not helping Moscow find a way out of the situation.

Quote: "Now is not the moment to talk or negotiate. It's the moment to put pressure on Russia."

More details: Tsahkna's warning came as US-led efforts to seek a settlement in Ukraine had largely reached a deadlock, while Washington's attention was focused on the war in Iran.

Europe has largely been sidelined in diplomatic processes, even as it increasingly shoulders most of the cost of supporting Kyiv. Although the situation could potentially create an opportunity for the continent to take the initiative, Tsahkna called such thinking "very dangerous".

Quote: "We are not very positive about this idea that everybody is rushing to Moscow and let's start talking because Russia is weaker. It's not the time."

More details: Tsahkna said Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin was running out of options and that multiple rounds of Western economic sanctions are having an effect.

He also pointed to growing frustration inside Russia over mobile internet outages and the economic crisis, as well as the scaled-down military parade in Moscow on 9 May, as potential signs of vulnerability.

Quote: "The tone has changed. Everybody understands that now it is the right time to push Russia. The broader picture is, we see that Russia is in a shaky position now."

Background:

• Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda believes there is no point in entering into dialogue with Russia until it demonstrates a readiness to end the full-scale war in Ukraine.
• EU foreign ministers will discuss possible negotiations between the European Union and Russia, as well as the demands the EU should make to Moscow, during an informal meeting on Cyprus on 27-28 May.

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