Europe Has 3-5 Years to Prepare for Serious Military Threat from Russia on NATO's Eastern Flank, - Estonian Prime Minister

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas believes that Europe has three to five years to prepare for a serious military threat on NATO's eastern flank from Russia. She made this statement in an interview with The Times.

"Our intelligence estimates it at three to five years, and it very much depends on how we handle our unity and maintain our position regarding Ukraine," she said.

Kallas also became the first leader of a NATO member country to suggest that Russia is behind the recent series of disruptions in GPS navigation in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. Although she clarified that, it seems not to have been deliberately directed against NATO members.

"Russia wants a pause, and this pause is about gathering its resources and strength. Weakness provokes aggressors, so weakness provokes Russia," added the Estonian Prime Minister.

Kaja Kallas relies on a report from Estonia's Foreign Intelligence Service (VLA), which states that Moscow sees Estonia and the other two Baltic countries as the "most vulnerable part of NATO" and its most likely targets for the next attack.

Estonia's intelligence asserts that the Kremlin's top priority after ending hostilities in Ukraine will be the rapid restoration of its forces in the Russian Western Military District, near NATO's eastern borders.

The report specifically notes, "From the perspective of the Baltic countries, Russia still has sufficient forces to exert serious military pressure in our region."

In light of this, Estonia strongly insists that its Western allies double their military assistance to Ukraine in hopes of delivering a decisive blow that would thwart Russia's territorial ambitions for years to come.

"The people of Estonia support Ukraine to victory. It is very important for all of us," said Kallas to President Zelensky when he visited Tallinn last week.

In turn, NATO must adopt a "containment" strategy toward Russia in a Cold War-style in the long term, added Kallas. She also emphasized that each NATO country must increase defence spending to at least 2.5% of GDP and buy time for the Russian economy not to withstand.

According to Kallas, NATO's current major challenges include a lack of military equipment, especially ammunition, and difficulties in quickly deploying many troops on the front lines.