Toomas Hendrik Ilves speaks about the war in Ukraine and the way forward

By Jenna McLaughlin, NPR

“One of Ilves's top priorities when he served as Estonia's foreign minister from 1998 to 2002 was to bring Estonia fully into modern Europe, elevating its status financially, culturally, and perhaps most importantly, defensively.”

—

“Prior to when he served as foreign minister, Estonia had not been seeking to join the European Union — but Ilves pushed for the young country to go in that direction. For one, he said, he knew that some countries that might oppose allowing Estonia into NATO would not be able to keep them out as easily, if at all, if they were part of the EU.”

—

"The reason I did that was that Estonia, like its southern neighbors, all it cared about was NATO for fairly obvious reasons," he said. "But my foreign policy experience and being in Washington before that convinced me there was no way we would ever be allowed into NATO because of opposition of Germany, France, the UK, and some other countries. But if you join the European Union, they can't veto you. So when I came here, I said, 'OK we're going to reorient toward the European Union, and not only reorient, but we're going to work our butts off to get in there’.”

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/02/1102234774/former-estonian-president-speaks-about-the-war-in-ukraine-and-the-way-forward

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Friday 3. June

Tallinna Vanalinna Päevad: 3.-5. juuni

(Pealinn)

“Kolme päeva jooksul toimub vanalinnas üle 400 ürituse, programmi on kaasatud nii oma ala tipptegijaid kui ka asjaarmastajaid. Lüüakse tantsu ja tehakse teatrit, tsirkust, kunsti ja mitmekesist muusikat. Kontserte saab kuulata kirikutes ja raekojas, vanalinna hariduskolleegiumi muusikamajas ja teistes kaunites paikades.”

https://pealinn.ee/2022/06/03/juubelihongulised-vanalinnapaevad-toovad-nautimiseks-ule-400-urituse/

“Tallinn Old Town Days - 3. - 5. June” 

Niguliste kirikus sai liftišaht valmis

(ERR)

“Niguliste kirikus on valminud liftišaht ja lisakorrus ajaloolise rõdu koha peal. Sügiseks lõppema planeeritud remondi järel tekib külastajal võimalus pääseda varem ligipääsmatutesse kohtadesse ja kõrgustesse.”

https://www.err.ee/1608617956/niguliste-kirikus-sai-liftisaht-valmis

Poliitika: Praegune aeg lihtsalt ei luba poliitilisi mänge

(Postimees | Eesti Päevaleht | Õhtuleht | Delfi | ERR)

“Valitsuse kukkumine Ukraina sõja ajal annab märku siinsest poliitilisest ebaküpsusest, kuid peab lootma, et võimalik uus koalitsioon Reformierakonna, Isamaa ja sotside vahel toob kastanid tulest välja ja juhib Eestit kriisis edasi. President Alar Karis vabastas eile peaminister Kaja Kallase ettepanekul ametist Keskerakonna ministrid. Poliitiline vodevill koalitsioonipartnerite Reformierakonna ja Keskerakonna vahel oli kestnud päevi ja tüüdanud Eesti avalikkust oma poliitilise mängurlusega. Ütles ka president oma Kadriorus tehtud avalduses, et uue valitsuse moodustamisega on kiire.”

https://arvamus.postimees.ee/7537815/juhtkiri-eesti-vajab-kiirelt-uut-valitsust

—

https://epl.delfi.ee/artikkel/120015908/juhtkiri-kolmikliit-taastaks-usalduse-valitsuse-vastu

—

https://www.ohtuleht.ee/1063598/otseblogi-kes-saavutab-kokkuleppe-kiiremini-reformierakond-peab-koalitsioonikonelusi-isamaa-ja-sotsidega-keskerakond-aga-isamaa-ja-ekrega

—

https://www.delfi.ee/artikkel/120015742/otseblogi-valitsusliit-on-langenud-keskerakond-tegi-isamaale-ja-ekrele-ettepaneku-alustada-voimukonelusi

—

https://news.err.ee/1608618850/estonian-prime-minister-dismisses-junior-coalition-partner-from-government

—

https://www.postimees.ee/7537645/video-blogi-ja-galerii-kaja-kallas-raagib-valitsuse-lagunemisest-ja-uue-moodustamisest

—

https://www.err.ee/1608619180/kiik-keskerakond-alustab-konsultatsioone-ekre-ja-isamaaga

—

https://news.err.ee/1608618985/helme-on-potential-coalition-with-center-and-isamaa-i-m-open-to-ideas

--

https://www.err.ee/1608618844/kallas-saatis-keskerakonna-valitsusest-valja

—

https://www.president.ee/et/meediakajastus/pressiteated/53741

—

https://www.president.ee/et/meediakajastus/pressiteated/53743

Interview: Estonian PM Kaja Kallas

(Baltic Times)

Q: “If you had a chance to tell Putin something straight to his face, what would the words be?”

—

A: “I have no intention of meeting him.”

https://www.baltictimes.com/estonian_pm_kaja_kallas___seven_out_of_eight_ethnic_russians___either_as_citizens_or_loyal_permanent_residents___are_successfully_integrated_/

Number of Ukrainians crossing Estonia's eastern border tripled in Q1

(ERR)

“During the first 4 months of 2022, a total of 233,454 people crossed into Estonia via the eastern border in Narva. This is 4 times more than in 2021 — during the coronavirus pandemic — but still less than half as many as in 2020, pre-pandemic. Between January and April 2021, only 64,139 people crossed the eastern border into Estonia.”

https://news.err.ee/1608617086/number-of-ukrainians-crossing-estonia-s-eastern-border-triples-in-q1

NATO: 2% spending guideline is a bare minimum that needs to be exceeded

By Svetlana Shkolnikova, Stars and Stripes

“Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg agreed Thursday to prod NATO member nations to contribute their fair share to the military alliance as it confronts a revanchist Russia. The two met ahead of a consequential NATO summit in Spain later this month that will see the alliance unveil the first major document laying out its priorities since 2010 and consider new membership applications from Finland and Sweden.”

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2022-06-02/nato-pentagon-6216260.html

“NATO Secretary General meets U.S. Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon.” - NATO press release

“What's Next For Finland and Sweden's NATO Bids.” - RFERL

“US Congress allocates 180 million dollars towards Baltic defence.” - BNN

“NATO increasingly aware of need for brigades in Baltics.” - Baltic Times

“Estonia looks to Sweden for women's national defense recruitment model.” - ERR

Kremlin’s Other Special Operation Seeks to Get Western Elites to Desert Ukraine

By Paul Goble

“Having failed to win its first “special operation” against Ukraine, the Kremlin has launched a second one that it believes it will have more success, Andrey Piontkovsky says. Its various soft power agencies, he continues, are working overtime to convince Western elites that they must desert Ukraine rather than stand up to Russian aggression. … The message Moscow wants to deliver and that all too many Western commentators are prepared to do …  “Don’t humiliate Russia. Force Ukraine to agree to a division of that country. …”

http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2022/06/kremlins-other-special-operation-seeks.html

Thursday 2. June

Rahvaloendus: Eesti rahvaarv ja eestlaste arv on kasvanud

(Eesti Statistika)

“Loendusmomendi ehk 31. detsembri 2021 seisuga elas Eestis alaliselt 1 331 824 inimest, mis on 2,9% rohkem kui kümme aastat tagasi samal ajal. Mehi on 47,6% ja nende osakaal kasvas 1,2 protsendipunkti, naiste osakaal on 52,4%. Keskmine Eesti elanik on 42,2-aastane ehk 1,4 aastat vanem kui oli keskmine elanik 2011. aastal. Rahvastiku vananemise positiivne külg on see, et 80-aastaste ja vanemate inimeste arv on suurenenud – ehk meie inimeste eluiga pikeneb ning eriti on seda märgata meeste osas. …”

https://www.stat.ee/et/uudised/rahvaloendus-eesti-rahvaarv-ja-eestlaste-arv-kasvanud

2021 population census showed the number of Estonians increased by 2.9%

(Statistics Estonia | Estonian World | BNN)

“At the moment of census, on 31. December 2021, there were 1,331,824 people living permanently in Estonia, which is 2.9% more than at the same time ten years ago. Men account for 47.6% of the population and their share increased by 1.2 percentage points, while the share of women is 52.4%.  The average inhabitant of Estonia is 42.2 years old, or 1.4 years older than the average inhabitant in 2011.”

https://estonianworld.com/life/census-estonias-population-and-the-number-of-estonians-have-grown/

https://bnn-news.com/number-of-estonians-grew-over-ten-years-population-census-shows-235153

—

https://www.stat.ee/en/uudised/rahvaloendus-eesti-rahvaarv-ja-eestlaste-arv-kasvanud

Estonia to support defense companies with nearly €700,000

(Estonian World)

“… the money will go to seven companies that participated in the Defence Innovation Competition. The supported projects include a tactical data exchange platform compatible with a combat control system, an infrared thermal camera for both satellites and drones, a directional mine training system, …”

https://estonianworld.com/technology/estonia-to-support-companies-for-developing-smart-defence-products/

“Estonia allocates €2.2m to increase local governments' crisis preparedness.” - ERR

Baltics stop buying Russian electricity

(ERR | BNN)

“The Baltic states stopped purchasing electricity from Russia on June 1 to reduce reliance on their eastern neighbor. Baltic Transmission System Operators (TSOs) - Estonian "Elering", Latvian AS "Augstsprieguma tīkls" (AST) and Lithuanian "Litgrid" agreed to make changes in balancing the Baltic energy system to reduce dependence on the Russian energy system. From Wednesday, the balance of consumption and generation in the Baltics will be ensured mainly with the balancing capacities available on the Baltic, Nordic and Polish markets.”

https://news.err.ee/1608617155/baltics-stop-buying-electricity-from-russia

—

https://bnn-news.com/baltic-states-to-discontinue-procuring-ballasting-electricity-from-russia-235168

“Finland, Baltic states postpone gas pipeline maintenance to secure supply.” - Reuters

Moscow Raises Two Territorial Issues After Helsinki Requests to Join NATO

By Paul Goble, 31. May

“The first involves the status of the Åland Islands, which, by international agreement, have a demilitarized status. The second is the future status of the Saimaa Canal, which links the Finnish lakes to the Gulf of Finland but passes through Russian territory. Moscow has leased Helsinki land along this canal for 50 years, but what Russia will do if Finland becomes a member of the North Atlantic Alliance remains an open question. …”

https://jamestown.org/program/moscow-raises-two-territorial-issues-after-helsinki-requests-to-join-nato/

“US Gen. Mark Milley is to meet with President Niinistö and Defence Minister Kaikkonen.” - Yle

“Finlandization as policy choice now in the dustbin of history.” - Paul Goble

“Podcast: Finnish and Swedish Perspectives on NATO Membership.” - Lawfare

“Decline in Finns’ standard of living is an unavoidable consequence of soaring consumer prices.” - Helsinki Times

“Russia blocks access to Finnish news websites.” - Yle

Denmark votes 66.9% to 33.1% to join EU’s common defence policy

(The Guardian)

“… becoming the last of the bloc’s members to sign up, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to reshape Europe’s security landscape. The referendum followed historic applications by Denmark’s previously non-aligned Nordic neighbours, Finland and Sweden, to join Nato last month.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/01/denmark-votes-on-joining-eus-common-defence-policy?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

“Russia’s war in Ukraine prompts Danes to ditch skepticism about closer security integration.” - Politico Europe

“Sweden Sending ‘Robot 17’ Coastal Defense Missiles To Ukraine.” - The Drive

Has Western Support for Ukraine Peaked?

(The Atlantic)

“We’ve likely reached the high-water mark of the grand alliance to defeat Russia in Ukraine. In the coming months, relations between the Ukrainian leadership and its external supporters will grow strained, and the culprit will be economic pain exacerbated by the war.”

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/06/ukraine-western-support-concession-economic-cost/661155/

“Millions rushed to leave Ukraine. Now the queue to return home stretches for miles.” - NPR

Wednesday 1. June

Hinnatõus Eestis oli mais üle 20%

(Estonian World Review)

“Euroala aastane inflatsioon kiirenes Eurostati kiirhinnangu kohaselt maikuus 8,1 protsendini ning Eestis euroala kõrgeimale tasemele ehk 20,1 protsendini.”

https://www.eesti.ca/hinnatous-eestis-oli-mais-ule-20-kiireim-euroopas/article59305

“Estonia clocks fastest inflation in the Eurozone at 20.1 %.” - ERR

“Estonia's spending is out of hand.” - ERR

“Estonians make €1,593 a month on average.” - Estonian World

“Estonia's GDP increases 4.3 %.” - ERR

“Estonia is now clamping down on cryptocurrency licenses.” - Euronews

“Estonia’s economic growth hindered by rising prices.” - Estonian World

Kallas: Gas sanctions would be more difficult - it will affect all of Europe

(The Guardian)

“After nearly a month of wrangling, the EU agreed to ban 90% of Russian oil imports by the end of the year, with an exemption for Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. These landlocked central European countries, heavily dependent on Russian oil, can continue being supplied via the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline for an indeterminate period.”

—

“Following the oil embargo, a measure that would have been unthinkable six months ago, Baltic leaders called for talks on further sanctions. Estonia’s prime minister, Kaja Kallas, said the EU needed to start discussing its next sanctions against Russia because things were “not going any better” in Ukraine. “As long as the war is going on, there is no peace, Ukraine hasn’t won the war; we haven’t done enough.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/31/eu-leaders-say-gas-unlikely-to-be-part-of-new-round-of-russia-sanctions?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

“President Karis Calls For Europe's Unity To Ensure Ukraine's Victory.” - Republic World

“Don’t expect the EU to ban Russian gas any time soon.” - Politico Europe

“Raw material imports from Russia to Estonia winding down.” - ERR

Tuesday 31. May

Eesti paistab Euroopas silma radioaktiivse joogiveega

(Novaator)

“Eesti inimeste joogivees leidub võrreldes paljude teiste Euroopa riikidega rohkem radioaktiivseid aineid, kuid teadlaste sõnul ei kujuta need tervisele märgatavat ohtu. Küll aga võiks anda see mõtteainet vee käitlemisega tegelevatele ettevõtetele.”

https://novaator.err.ee/1608606922/eesti-paistab-euroopas-silma-radioaktiivse-joogiveega

Paldiski LNG terminal in Estonia step closer to completion

(Offshore Energy)

“Estonian energy company Alexela has said that dredging work at the Paldiski LNG terminal site is finished, bringing the import terminal a step closed to completion to serve as an alternative to Russian gas.”

https://www.offshore-energy.biz/paldiski-lng-terminal-in-estonia-step-closer-to-completion/

“Gazprom avaldas gaasiekspordi languse numbrid.” - Postimees

Estonian robotics company Milrem launches an autonomous surveillance ground system

(Estonian World)

“The THeMIS Observe is based on Milrem’s THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle and integrated with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment from various leaders in their fields, the company said in a statement.”

https://estonianworld.com/technology/estonian-robotics-company-milrem-launches-an-autonomous-surveillance-ground-system/

“THeMIS Observe.” - Milrem

“THeMIS Observe + Shark.” - Milrem

“Most people yet to accept driverless military robots, Estonian-led study shows.” - Estonian World

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Putin’s War

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Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment: 2. June 2022

(ISW)

“Russian forces continued to make incremental, grinding, and costly progress in eastern Ukraine on June 2. … Russian military leadership continues to experience complications with sufficient force generation and maintaining the morale of mobilized personnel.”

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-2

On 100th day of invasion, Russia seems unlikely to roll back its troops

(CBC)

“The ruble is now an official currency in the southern Kherson region, alongside the Ukrainian hryvnia. Residents there and in Russia-controlled parts of the Zaporizhzhia region are being offered expedited Russian passports. The Kremlin-installed administrations in both regions have talked about plans to become part of Russia. The Moscow-backed leaders of separatist areas in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, which is mostly Russian-speaking, have expressed similar intentions.”

—

“The Kremlin has largely kept mum about its plans for the cities, towns and villages it has bombarded, encircled and finally captured. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said it will be up to the people living in seized areas to decide their status. …”

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ukraine-war-day-100-russia-invasion-1.6476606

‘Tens of Thousands’ of Russians wounded in Ukraine are overwhelming Putin-optimized hospitals

By  Paul Goble

“The situation is especially dire in Moscow and other major cities because doctors and other medical personnel there have been shifted to locations closer to the front lines. In response, the authorities have called for volunteers, including from the Orthodox Church, even though many of them lack medical training.”

http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2022/06/tens-of-thousands-of-russians-wounded.html

“Some Russian troops are refusing to return to fight in Ukraine because of their experiences on the front line at the start of the invasion.” - BBC

Chernobyl scarred by Russian troops' damage and looting

(BBC)

“Ukraine says the Russian army looted or damaged more than 1,000 computers at the Chernobyl nuclear power station and stole trucks and radiation dosimeters. Chernobyl's information director Vitaliy Medved said nuclear equipment was not damaged and "regarding radiation safety everything is OK”. The losses caused by the Russian occupation - now ended - are put at more than 1.6bn hryvnia (£44m; $54m).”

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61685643

Vladimir Putin clings to semblance of normality as his war grinds on

(Reuters)

“Approaching the 100-day mark in a war that he refuses to call by its name, Russian President Vladimir Putin is a man intent on conveying the impression of business as usual. … For a man whose army has heavily underperformed in Ukraine and been beaten back from its two biggest cities, suffering untold thousands of casualties, Putin shows no visible sign of stress.”

—

“Should Russia's offensive falter, Putin could be forced into declaring a full-scale mobilisation of reserves to bolster his depleted forces … "This would involve more than a million people in Russia, and then of course it will be visible for those whose who have not yet realised that Russia is in a full war," said Gerhard Mangott, an Austrian academic who has met and observed Putin over many years.”

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-clings-semblance-normality-his-war-grinds-2022-06-02/

“Putin thinks West will blink first in war of attrition.” - Washington Post

Russia’s war has already caused irreparable damage to the environment

By Anette Parksepp, SEI Tallinn

“Especially destructive environmental impacts are suffered from the use of scorched earth strategies when big industrial complexes, energy plants and storage facilities are attacked. Often, agricultural facilities, farmlands and reservoirs are destroyed in conflict and forests and nature reserves burned down. On the one hand, this kind of destruction poses a short-term risk to people’s health and the environment. On the other hand, military conflicts usually have a long-term impact on the environment as well, polluting soil, contaminating the water supply and thus creating long-term health issues, hunger and other problems for people living in that environment.”

https://www.sei.org/featured/russia-has-caused-irreparable-damage-to-the-environment/

The folly of ‘off-ramps’

by Timothy Snyder

“The Russian media and political system is designed to keep Putin in power regardless of what happens in the outside world.  Russian politics takes place within a closed information environment which Putin himself designed and which Putin himself runs.  He does not need our help in the real world to craft reassuring fictions for Russians.  He has been doing this for twenty years without our help.”

—

            “Ukrainians understand this, which is one reason that they become irritated when we suggest that they concede territory or victory to Russia because of a concern about Putin's internal state.  They know that this is not only unjust but pointless.  What matters in Russian politics is not Putin's feelings nor battlefield realities but the ability of the Putin regime to change the story for Russian media consumers. It is senseless, as the Ukrainians understand, to sentence real people of real territories to suffer and die for the sake of Russian narratives that do not even depend upon the real world.”

https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-folly-of-off-ramps?s=r

“Ukraine facing grinding campaign as it waits for weapons.” - AP

“Zelenski: Venemaa kontrollib Ukrainast viiendikku.” - ERR

“Opinion: Russia Won’t Return Occupied Land. So Don’t Ask.” - Daily Beast

“Harri Moora: Venemaa agressioon on juba põhjustanud keskkonnale korvamatut kahju.” - Eesti Päevaleht, paywall

“The ‘Death Cult’ Keeping Russia in Ukraine.” - The Bulwark

“Teet Kalmus: Ukraina üksused taanduvad Severodonetskist.” - Estonian World Review

“Fighting Intensifies As Ukraine's Troops Hold Onto The 'Road Of Life’.” - RFERL

“U.S. Plans To Sell Armed MQ-1C Gray Eagle Drones To Ukraine.” - The Aviationist

“US providing Ukraine with 4 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, that can strike targets up to 43 miles away.” - Task and Purpose

“Opinion: I Thought Putin Invaded Only Ukraine. I Was Wrong.” - NYT

“Opinion: The west must hold its nerve on Ukraine.” - Financial Times

“Why the Russian Despot Can Neither Mobilize Nor Retreat.” - Foreign Affairs

“Russian army loses a generation of young officers; reports of localised mutinies.” - The Times

And Finally:

Media: The rumor mill about Putin’s health has reached a fever pitch

(Politico Europe)

“Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week felt it necessary to shoot down any suggestion that Putin was sick. “You know, President Putin appears in public every day. You can see him on the screens, read his speeches, listen to his speeches,” he said, speaking to French media TF1. “I don’t think sane people can discern any sort of symptom of disease in this man.”

—

“Sane or not, media have for months speculated over the state of the Russian leader, interpreting everything from his bloated appearance as a sign of steroid-use, to implying the Russian leader has Parkinson’s and cancer. Video footage showing Putin fiercely gripping a table while looking uncomfortable during a recent meeting, making twitchy hand gestures and seeming to limp during Russia’s Victory Day parade, have only added to this free-for-all among armchair physicians. Doctors have so far argued none of this is strong enough to indicate Putin is ill, and only an up-close diagnosis could verify the rumors. Intelligence experts have largely agreed.”

https://www.politico.eu/article/backpain-cancer-and-covid-vladimir-putin-top-health-scares-throughout-the-years/

Cartoon by Marian Kamensky

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