President Alar Karis stated in an interview with Helsingin Sanomat that Europe should prepare for the restoration of contacts with Russia after the war in Ukraine ends.
According to Karis, European countries must jointly develop a strategy for resuming dialogue with the Russian Federation. "Are we ready for the war to end today or tomorrow? How should we react? What should we do? And what should Russia do? Preparation for this must begin now," said the president.
While Estonian politicians usually focus on the threat of escalating aggression, Karis, as emphasized by HS, suggests preparing for the end of the war as well. In his opinion, preparation for the post-war period should start now, regardless of the actual timelines for the cessation of hostilities.
Karis's interview with the Finnish publication began with a discussion of concerns that the war in Ukraine could expand, and claims that the next target could be the Baltic countries.
The Finnish newspaper notes that the image of Estonia as the "next target" has already affected foreign investors. Recently, a planned girls' football tournament in Tallinn was even canceled as foreign teams began to withdraw from participation due to fears of war.
According to Karis, discussions about Estonia as the next target fuel those who want to harm the country. He also stated that people sometimes project their own insecurities onto Estonia. "Perhaps they themselves are afraid of becoming potential targets," noted the president.
Suspicious drones have also been spotted in Germany and Denmark, but people living far from Russia do not understand it and experience fear of the unknown, Karis explained. "We are all too familiar with this," he emphasized. This year, Estonia is investing more than two billion euros in national defense, which accounts for over 5% of its gross domestic product (GDP). When asked by HS if this indicates an increased sense of danger, Karis answered negatively.
Before World War II, Estonia allocated more than 20% of its GDP to defense, but at that time the country had no allies, the president reminded.
Five years ago, Karis asked why Finland was not joining NATO. At that time, the country's leadership cited the unwillingness of society. "Just five months later, public opinion changed drastically – the situation turned 180°," said Karis.
The Finnish publication reminded that in Estonia, Karis found himself at the center of a political storm after he spoke about the need to prepare for dialogue with Russia. According to the official foreign policy line of Estonia, negotiations with the aggressor state are not being conducted.
"The aggressor must be stopped, and then relations must be reassessed. Russia must change in order for communication to be possible," explained Karis.
As an example, he cited Finland during the Cold War, where it was possible to prepare for armed defense while also engaging in dialogue. However, he would not adopt this model "one for one."
Karis is among those European leaders who believe that the EU should appoint a special envoy for Russia, who would begin preparing for the post-war period now. The goal is to avoid a situation where major powers negotiate something "over the heads" of smaller countries.
"We have invested in Ukraine together, including Estonia and Finland. This means we should have the opportunity to voice our opinions. And that is only possible if we participate in discussions," concluded Karis.
