(Estonian American National Council)
https://eancdc.wordpress.com/2018/08/29/eanc-remembers-senator-john-mccain/
✔︎ John McCain will be laid to rest at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland. - Schedule of memorials and services.
(The Atlantic)
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/08/john-mccains-final-letter-to-america/568669/
✔︎ John McCain’s 106-year-old mother expected to attend burial.
Estonia:
✔︎ Prime Minister Juri Ratas said "he was a courageous and determined man, showing a remarkable understanding of global affairs. His contributions into the security of the Baltic states will never be forgotten.”
Lithuania:
✔︎ President Dalia Grybauskaite described McCain's passing as "a big loss not only to our region but also to the whole world.”
Latvia:
✔︎ President Raimonds Vejonis, completing the triumvirate of Baltic leaders who have been rattled by Trump's apparent ambivalence to their concerns about Russian aggression, added that McCain was "a true defender of democracy and freedom, and a great friend of Latvia."
_____________
John McCain
(1936 - 2018)
_____________
"I looked into (Putin’s) eyes and saw three letters:
a K, a G and a B.”
a K, a G and a B.”
- “The Baltic Countries Have Always Had a Special Place in My Heart“
(Government of Lithuania website)
“… and he had never recognized the occupation of the Baltic States and had always been an ardent believer that our countries would one day regain freedom, and was so pleased when it came true. “You are a free society with competitive economy and culture”, said the senior Republican Senator."
https://lrv.lt/en/news/senator-j-mccain-baltic-countries-have-always-had-a-special-place-in-my-heart
✔︎ John McCain’s European example
by Toomas Hendrik Ilves
(Politico-Europe)
"The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe had agreed at its 1992 summit on the “speedy, orderly and complete” withdrawal of Russian troops from the Baltic states. But the Russians were stalling. At the time, the U.S. and most Western European leaders had no appetite for dealing with the continued presence of Russian troops in the newly independent countries. Supporting President Boris Yeltsin was paramount, and if that meant international agreements regarding less important states were ignored, so be it."
--
"McCain stood out, resolute in pushing the U.S. to meet its commitments — not just in that meeting, which is easy for a politician to do, but regularly following up with me. For the next quarter of a century, he would seek me out during visiting congressional delegations, at conferences and during his visits to the Continent, pull me aside and ask: “What are the Russians doing?”
 |
| President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Ameerika Ühendriikide senaatorid John McCain ja John Hoeven ning Ameerika Ühendriikide suursaadik Eestis Jeff Levine - 2014 |
- Toomas Hendrik Ilves pays tribute to Senator John McCain
(Euronews video)
- Senator John McCain, a great friend to Estonia
(Estonian World)
"McCain visited Estonia five times, in 2001, 2004, 2014, 2015 and 2016. He was also awarded the General Staff Cross of Merit of the Estonian Defence Forces in 2016."
 |
| John McCain ja Jüri Ratas Photo - Liis Treimann |
- NATO peakorter tuleks nimetada John McCaini järgi
(ERR)
"Eesti eelmine riigipea Toomas Hendrik Ilves leiab, et Eesti võiks Põhja-Atlandi Nõukogus tulla välja ettepanekuga nimetada äsja valminud NATO peakorter laupäeval surnud USA senaatori, Eesti toetaja ja sõbra John McCaini järgi."
- McCaini viimane pöördumine: ma elasin ja surin uhke ameeriklasena
(ERR)
"Arizonat esindanud vabariiklasest senaator John McCain tegi enne oma surma viimase avalduse, mis loeti esmaspäeval avalikult ette osariigi pealinnas Phoenixis."
- Opinion: McCain's world tributes
(CNN)
- Eestit esindavad senaator McCaini matustel Mikser, Luik ja Ilves
(ERR)
"Eestit esindavad Ameerika Ühendriikide senaatori John McCaini matustel välisminister Sven Mikser, kaitseminister Jüri Luik ja eelmine riigipea Toomas Hendrik Ilves."
- McCain could’ve said,
“I’m an Estonian”
“I’m an Estonian”
by Jürgen Ligi
(Estonian World)
“… what would it mean for Estonia if there were no McCain when the feared news of his death broke. Nothing seems to be pointing at the international relations mess that would include us and the US attention to our region seems to be sharper than ever. That was John McCain’s accomplishment – the cementing of his values so that they will remain even after he’s gone."
- "Latvia has lost a true friend”
(Latvian Broadcasting)
“My most heartfelt condolences to the family of Senator John McCain - true defender of democracy and freedom, and a great friend of Latvia.” - President Raimonds Vejonis.
 |
| Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and Amy Klobuchar visiting President Raimonds Vējonis of Latvia (Source: Office of the President of Latvia) |
- Dalia Grybauskaitė extended condolences on the passing of U.S. Senator John McCain
(Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania)
“… we are grateful for the close – exceptional – friend of our state. U.S., Senator John McCain was a consistent supporter of Lithuania’s independence and establishment of freedom. He has greatly contributed to gathering support for Lithuania, its defense and security of its citizens.” - President Dalia Grybauskaitė
 |
| Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaitem welcomes US Senator John McCain, R-Ariz. during a welcome ceremony in the Presidential palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016 (AP Photo Mindaugas Kulbis) |
- McCain's choice of Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza as pallbearer is final dig at Putin
(Politico)
"The Republican senator from Arizona, who planned his own funeral, chose Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza as one of the dignitaries to carry his coffin to the front of the Washington National Cathedral at Saturday’s memorial service."
- Opinion: John McCain saw through Vladimir Putin better than anyone
By Vladimir Kara-Murza
(Washington Post)
"The date was Feb. 15, 2000, and Republican presidential hopefuls had gathered for a crucial debate in Columbia, S.C.. Among the topics of discussion was Russia and its newly anointed (but not yet formally elected) leader, Vladimir Putin. … The Republican frontrunner, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, was diplomatic, noting only that “the verdict on Mr. Putin is out . . . we don’t know enough about him.”
—
"Sen. John McCain of Arizona, begged to differ. “We know that he was an apparatchik. We know that he was a member of the KGB. We know that he came to power because of the military brutality . . . in Chechnya,” McCain said. “I’m concerned about Mr. Putin. I’m afraid Mr. Putin might be one of those who wants to make the trains run on time.”
- John McCain and the Meaning of Courage
By H. R. McMaster
(Foreign Affairs)
"Honoring His Political and Military Legacy Is Vital."
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2018-08-29/john-mccain-and-meaning-courage?cid=int-fls&pgtype=hpg
By H. R. McMaster
(Foreign Affairs)
"Honoring His Political and Military Legacy Is Vital."
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2018-08-29/john-mccain-and-meaning-courage?cid=int-fls&pgtype=hpg
- Russia Hated John McCain, and Will Miss Him Dearly
(New York Times)
"In a report on Mr. McCain’s death, Rossiya 1, a state television channel, called him “the chief symbol of Russophobia” and as such the main reason Moscow’s relations with the West are so bad. Life News, an outlet close to the Russian security services, declared him the West’s chief Russophobe.”
—
"The beauty of ‘Russophobia' from Russia’s perspective is that it absolves Moscow of any responsibility for the consequences of its own actions - the annexation of Crimea, its military incursions into Georgia and eastern Ukraine, the shooting down of a Malaysian passenger jet and its repeated meddling in Western elections - and has turned the country into an innocent victim of, well, John McCain. …"
- McCain drank vodka with Hillary Clinton in Vana Tallinn (2004)
(CNN)
"John McCain once took on Hillary Clinton in a drinking contest. It was at a restaurant in Estonia in 2004, during a congressional tour. Both politicians managed four shots of vodka; the rules were unclear ...”
--
- John McCain visited the Paldiski Russian Military Base (1993)
(YouTube video)
 |
| McCain at Paldiski - 1993 |
- McCain in Estonia: America Is Committed to NATO (Dec. 2017)
(NBC News)
"I think the presence of the American troops here in Estonia is a signal that we believe in what Ronald Reagan believed, and that is peace through strength," McCain added from Tallinn, the Estonian capital. "And the best way to prevent Russian misbehavior by having a credible, strong military and a strong NATO alliance."
- McCain: Permanent US troops in Estonia (2016)
(AP | Postimees)
—
- McCain blasts Trump’s NATO summit performance and warns that 'Putin is America’s enemy’ (July 2018)
(CNBC | The Daily Beast)
—
- McCain addresses Ukrainian protesters in Kiev (2013)
(Guardian video)
- McCain: US-Baltic relations are more important than they have been for a long time (Dec. 2016)
(ERR)
- John McCain’s Most Important Lesson Gets Through to Russians if Not Yet to West: Russia and Putin Aren’t One and the Same Thing
by Paul Goble
(Window on Eurasia)
"In an impressive display that Putin has failed in his effort to convince Russians otherwise, commentator after commentator in Moscow has made the point in their articles about the passing of Senator McCain that Putin and Russia are not one and the same thing and that Russians deserve a better system than the one the Kremlin leader has imposed."
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