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30 November, 2018




✔︎ "On Sunday [25. Nov.], Russia attacked Ukrainian military vessels on the Azov Sea. We must use the right terms: this is war in Europe. The Ukrainian people have been engaged in war since 2014 and the Crimean peninsula is still under occupation."
- President Kersti Kaljulaid


✔︎ "It’s the first time that the Russian military has attacked Ukrainian armed forces under Russian flags.”
-  Taras Berezovets, Ukrainian activist, regarding the Azov Sea attack


✔︎ A special Brexit news list is at the end of the newsletter


✔︎ What I'm reading: “The Road to Unfreedom" by Timothy Snyder

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- Archive:


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Friday 
30. November
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- Ukraina: Vene hävitaja ja kopter tulistasid meie laevu rakettidega

(Postimees)

"SBU ülema asetäitja Oleh Frolov ütles neljapäeval ajakirjanikele, et Vene hävitaja Su-30 ja ründekopter Ka-52 tulistasid laevade pihta neli raketti. "Ime, et Ukraina meremehed ellu jäid."



- Merkel lubas Kertši väina konflikti tõstatada Putiniga G20 kohtumisel
(ERR)
"Saksamaa kantsler süüdistas viimases pingetekitamises Venemaad, kuid ei poolda veel sanktsioonide kehtestamist. Enne on tema sõnul vaja faktid üle vaadata …"

Map graphic: The Guardian

- Putin's Not-Quite-All-Out War on Ukraine Has Gone from Simmering to Explosive

(The Daily Beast)



Crimea 

"We now know, because Putin would later admit it on state television, that in 2014 at the height of Ukraine’s revolution, on the very day in February when Putin’s ally, President Viktor Yanukovych, fled the country, Putin ordered his commanders “to begin work on returning Crimea to Russia. … And within days of Yanukovych’s departure, the peninsula was full of “little green men”—in fact burly soldiers wearing masks and unmarked uniforms—with the newest communication equipment and Russian weaponry. They controlled a hasty referendum in Crimea, and unsurprisingly a majority of voters supported merging with Russia.”

 Donbas
"A few weeks after Crimea was annexed, masked men in new green uniforms appeared in the largely industrial region of eastern Ukraine known as Donbas, and a war began between Ukrainian and Russia-backed rebel forces, including Russian recruits and Russian army officers who officially were “on holiday.”

 Sea of Azov 
"What happened on Sunday was one more milestone—and potentially the most dangerous—in this now five-year-old, undeclared war. … More than 24 hours after Russian forces captured those three Ukrainian gunboats the West had not demonstrated any significant support for Kiev, (Moscow municipal deputy and opposition leader Ilya) Yashin noted. “That is exactly what Putin counted on.”"




- EU, NATO React Coolly To Ukraine's Call For New Moves Against Russia

(RFERL)

"A NATO spokeswoman said on November 29 that the military alliance already has a strong presence in the Black Sea region where the incident occurred, and it has no plans to send warships into the Sea of Azov, which lies between Ukrainian and Russian territory, as requested by Poroshenko on November 28."



"Unknown Number of the 24 Captured Ukrainian Sailors Transferred to Moscow.”
--

- Kyiv closing its borders to Russian men
(Deutsche Welle)

- Ukrainian border service switched to the first level of full combat readiness
(Politico-Europe)


- Putin Pushes Russia-Ukraine Tensions to a Four-Year High

(Foreign Policy)






- Baltic defense ministers agree to raise defense spending above 2% of GDP
(Baltic Times)
"Latvian Defense Minister Raimonds Bergmanis, Raimundas Karoblis and Estonian Defense Minister Juri Luik signed a joint communique today, expressing the commitment to raise defense spending above two percent of GDP. … The communique also expressed support for military cooperation with Great Britain after Brexit."



- Estonia and the Kindness of Strangers
(The American Interest)
"Estonia has expertly played the hand it has been given by history, building a model small democratic nation in the 20th century. But its size and geography mean its fate is still not in its own hands."



- Swedish Pilots Win Medals for Declassified 1987 SR-71 Incident over the Baltic Sea
(Multiple sources)
"The Blackbird had suffered an engine failure during a mission over the Baltic Sea and its crew feared that Soviet jets might be hunting for them.”
--
"The incident happened in 1987 in the skies over the Baltic Sea. Back then, SR-71 Blackbirds based at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom flew weekly missions [termed the “Baltic Express”] out over the Baltic Sea, toward Soviet bases in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Kaliningrad. The SR-71s flew a loop that took them across the length of the Baltic States, then back around and in between the Swedish mainland and the island of Gotland. …"
—
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- Rootsi piloodid kaitsesid 1987. aastal Baltimaade kohalt naasnud mootoririkkega USA luurelennukit SR-71
(Delfi)




- Ukraine once gave up USSR nukes

(Euronews | others)

"Twenty five years ago, Ukraine was the world's third-largest nuclear power, with more warheads than the United Kingdom, France and China combined. The government in Kiev inherited this arsenal after the breakup of the Soviet Union, finding itself in possession of an estimated 5,000 nuclear weapons, more than 170 intercontinental ballistic missiles and several dozen nuclear bombers.”

—

"In 1994, Ukraine agreed to dismantle this stockpile in return for a promise from Russia that the country wouldn't be attacked. … When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, it was widely accepted that this agreement had been violated. After this week's clash on the Black Sea, Ukraine used the memorandum as a rallying cry."
--
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- Moscow Pushing Ukraine toward Becoming a Nuclear Power
(Window on Eurasia)
"Despite Russian military actions, Ukraine has shown itself unprepared for total war, hoping against hope that the West will come to its rescue. But ever more open Russian aggression and ever greater recognition in Ukraine that the West isn’t going to may soon force Ukrainians to consider what they have to do on their own to avoid total defeat."



- Putin Is Perfecting His Border Plan
(Foreign Policy)
"While the Western media were focused on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s violent escalation of his conflict with Ukraine, another nation on Russia’s border, Georgia, voted in a run-off presidential election on Wednesday that will help determine its own geopolitical direction:  Moscow, or the West."
--
"Though the Georgian election got far less attention, both events were critical tests of the Russian leader’s relentless efforts to resurrect, as best he can, a sphere of influence over the former Soviet republics—and with a dazzling array of methods such as creeping annexation, stealthy assassination, and digitally undermining democracy everywhere."

Euronews speaks to Georgia’s new President-elect, Salome Zurabishvili





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Thursday 
29. November
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- Hädad võidusambaga: remont juubeliaastal kestab tuleva aasta veebruarini
(ERR)
"Riigi Kinnisvara Aktsiaseltsi (RKAS) kommunikatsioonijuht Mariliis Sepper ütles ERR-ile, et Vabadussõja võidusambal vahetatakse välja kõik samba ristiosas paiknevad, põhipinnalt eenduvad matistatud klaasdetailid. "Täpsemalt siis risti embleem, embleemi ümbritsev ring, risti äärised ja risti keskosas paiknevad detailid nii Komandandi tee kui Vabaduse väljaku poolt. ..."








- Estonia summons Russian ambassador over Ukraine

(Fox News)
"The Estonian Foreign Ministry says Aleksandr Petrov was told that Russia must immediately return the three vessels and release the crew. … Estonia has reacted sharply to the events near Crimea, with President Kersti Kaljulaid saying Tuesday the attack constitutes "war in Europe."

- Russia-Ukraine: Storm warning on the Black Sea
(Deutsche Welle)

- Wave Of Disinformation From The Azov Sea
(EU vs Disinfo)
"Russian propaganda largely relies on four tactics: to distort, distract, dismiss and dismay.” [All four were in use this week.]

- Crimea Annexation 2.0
(Carnegie Europe)
"Similar to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, Western powers have been confined to watching events from the sidelines without finding an effective response—so far."
http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/77828?lang=en


- Martial law in ten regions of Ukraine
(Centre for Eastern Studies)



- In Ukraine, it’s no longer about little green men
(Politico-Europe)
"Russia’s recent aggression in the Azov Sea was predictable. For those of us following events in Ukraine, it was not a question of whether Moscow would try to cut off the Kerch Strait between Russia and Crimea, but when. Even before last weekend’s minor sea battle between Russian and Ukrainian warships, Ukrainian media had been reporting an increase in intense inspections of civilian cargo ships of all flags going to its largest ports, Mariupol and Berdyansk — both major export ports for steel and grain — since February."





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Wednesday 
28. November
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- President Kaljulaid: We cannot silently consent to Russia’s aggression in the Sea of Azov

(Office of the President)

"On Sunday, Russia attacked Ukrainian military vessels on the Azov Sea. We must use the right terms: this is war in Europe. The Ukrainian people have been engaged in war since 2014 and the Crimean peninsula is still under occupation."

--

"I urge the international community and the democratic world leaders to join me in this statement, to condemn the Russian aggression clearly, collectively and immediately, and demand a stop to the agression. Silent acknowledgement means de facto recognition of the occupation of the Crimean peninsula. The value-based international community cannot allow itself to adopt such a stance. War in Europe will not, shall not and cannot ever again be accepted as business as usual."

- President Kaljulaid: Venemaa sõjalise agressiooniga Aasovi merel ei tohi vaikimisi leppida
(Vabariigi Presidendi Kantselei)
„Pühapäeval ründas Venemaa Aasovi merel Ukraina sõjalaevu. Me peame nimetama asju õigete nimedega – see on sõda Euroopas. Ukraina rahvas on olnud sõjas alates 2014. aastast ja Krimm on jätkuvalt okupeeritud.

--

Kutsun rahvusvahelist kogukonda ja demokraatliku maailma liidreid üles minuga selles avalduses ühinema ning selgelt, üheselt ja viivitamatult Venemaa agressiooni hukka mõistma ning nõudma selle lõpetamist. Juhtunu vaikiv tunnistamine tähendab de facto Krimmi okupeerimise tunnustamist. Seda ei saa väärtuspõhine rahvusvaheline kogukond endale lubada. Sõda Euroopas ei tohi ega saa enam ühelgi ajahetkel olla aktsepteeritud kui asjade tavapärane seis.“




Declaration by the EU regarding the escalating tensions in the Azov Sea

(Council of the EU)
- Niinistö urges Russia to allow unimpeded passage to Kerch Strait


(Helsinki Times)

"President Sauli Niinistö says the international community must react to recent developments on the Kerch Strait, a strait connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, without delay."


- Trump canceled Putin meeting, cites Ukraine crisis
(Reuters)

Russia Doubts Trump’s Reason for Canceling Putin Meeting
(The Daily Beast)
“… with Russia’s foreign ministry hinting the real reason was because of the crisis consuming the White House."



- Arvamus: Kertši kriis on ohtlikum kui Krimmi kriis
(Postimees)
"Krimmi annekteerimisel üritas Kreml oma tegevust vähemalt maskeerida, nüüd on agressioon aga häbenematu ja avalik …"

- EL nõuab Venemaalt Ukraina laevade ja meremeeste vabastamist
(ERR)
"Selles kontekstis me kutsume Venemaad üles tingimusteta ja viivitamatult vabastama kinni peetud alused, nende meeskonnad ja varustuse," seisab avalduses."

- Kertši Blog
(Postimees)

- Putin peab Kertši intsidenti tühiseks piiritüliks
(ERR)
"Venemaa viib seoses Kertši väina vahejuhtumiga Krimmi poolsaarele veel moodsaid õhutõrjesüsteeme. Ukraina mitmes piirkonnas aga hakkas kehtima sõjaseisukord. Venemaa presidendi Vladimir Putini hinnangul oli kolme Ukraina sõjalaeva tulistamine ning arestimine tühine piiritüli."

- Mikser soovib Venemaa suhtes uusi sanktsioone
(ERR)
"Seoses Kertši väinas toimunuga on juba esitatud üleskutseid kehtestada Venemaa suhtes täiendavaid piiravaid meetmeid. Nagu olen viimaste päevade jooksul öelnud, on tegemist on Venemaa-poolse rahvusvahelise õiguse ränga rikkumisega, millel peavad olema tagajärjed. Selles kontekstis pean õigeks täiendavate piiravate meetmete kehtestamist ja täna kehtivate sanktsioonide pikendamist Venemaa suhtes."





- ‘Putin is in control’

(Politico)

"By the time Western officials had figured out what and where the Kerch Strait was, the Russian leader had sewn up his naval operation, taking around two dozen Ukrainian sailors prisoner (shooting and wounding at least three of them), and impounded their vessels. Not bad for a Sunday outing.”

--

"Meanwhile, over in the EU cocoon, Germans debated whether the United Nations refugee compact would be legally binding and the French squabbled over the price of gasoline. And the U.S.? Lost somewhere in Trumpland. …"




- Russian Caspian Flotilla’s Capacity to Project Force Threatens Littoral States and Ukraine
(Jamestown Org.)
"The Caspian Flotilla has not attracted significant Western attention up to now (Russia’s use of Caspian-based ships to fire cruise missiles at targets in Syria over the last few years notwithstanding—see EDM, October 26, 2015). Yet, Moscow has increasingly been flaunting its naval capacity there—especially the ability of its ships not only to conduct naval operations but also to put troops on land to seize or defend positions."



- Containing the Kerch Crisis
(Carnegie Moscow)

AP Photo: Kerch Bridge


- Strategic Implications of Russia and Ukraine’s Naval Clash
(Jamestown Org.)

- Martial Law in Ukraine: A Presidential Pyrrhic Victory?
(Carnegie Moscow)

- Martial law imposed in nearly half of Ukraine
(Euromaidan)

- Behind the Ukraine-Russia naval tensions, a more brutal economic war
(Christian Science Monitor)
“Very little attention has been paid to the economic slugfest between the two, which has caused far more destruction than Russia's sanctions war with the West over the past five years, and will leave lasting consequences even if they manage to resolve the present, seemingly intractable, political conflict."




- Petro Poroshenko says Moscow massing troops at border as Crimean court orders sailors detained for two months

(The Guardian)


- Poroshenko reportedly tried to talk to Putin after detention of Ukrainian naval vessels
(Kyiv Post)

- In Sea of Azov, Russia Again Tests Its Strength
(Chatham House)
"The recent skirmish with Ukrainian vessels is part of the Kremlin’s long-term efforts to destabilize Ukraine and consolidate its control over Crimea."





- Peipsi järvistul liikumiseks kehtestati piirangud

(Lõuna Leht)






- Russian delegation visits Estonia to inspect military facilities within OSCE framework
(Pro-Kremlin TASS)



- Vostok-2018 strateegiliste sõjaliste õppuste analüüs: alternatiivne vaatenurk
(Diplomaatia - 15. nov.)
"Suured sõjaväeõppused paljastasid Vene armee mitmeid nõrku kohti."





- Open Source Monitoring of NATO Trident Juncture Exercises
(Bellingcat - 6. Nov.)
[The author shows how a military operation such as the recent exercises in Norway can easily be monitored by satellite, social media, and Instagram geotagging.]




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Tuesday 
27. November
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- Estonia condemns Russian attack on Ukrainian vessels in Kerch Strait

(ERR | Interfax)

"Prime Minister Jüri Ratas called the actions a "serious breach of international law."



"Estonia condemns Russia's attack against Ukrainian vessels in Azov Sea and Kerch Strait and calls on immediate release of the ships. These actions violate both international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, a conscious act to escalate tension.” - Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser

"World reacts to Russia's attack near Kerch Strait."



- How Estonia became centre of Danske money-laundering scandal
(Financial Times)
"Head of country’s regulator does not pull any punches as he criticises Danish bank.”



- Voter confidence in electoral process highest in Estonia
(Emerging Europe)
"A new Eurobarometer survey ahead of next May’s European elections has revealed that a majority of EU citizens are worried that disinformation campaigns, data breaches and cyberattacks will interfere with electoral processes. Interestingly, both some of the highest and – thanks to Estonia – lowest percentages of those concerned about electoral manipulation are found in emerging Europe countries. Estonia – where around 30 per cent of votes are cast online – performs well in all of the categories, a clear sign that the country’s investment in cybersecurity over the past decade has resulted in increased confidence in the electoral process."



- NATO Beyond 70: Renewing a Culture of Readiness
(ICDS - pdf report)
"This analysis summarises the defence-policy related decisions of the Brussels summit to direct and guide NATO’s further adaptation, in particular further strengthening deterrence and defence, explains their rationale, and places them into the overall political and strategic context."



- Opinion: Russia Attacks Ukrainian Ships and International Law
(New York Times Editorial Board)
"Russia’s attack on Ukrainian naval vessels in the Black Sea was a violation of international law and a dangerous escalation of the undeclared war the Kremlin has waged for more than four years against Ukraine in Crimea, in the breakaway provinces of eastern Ukraine, and now at sea. …"



- Opinion: Russia’s escalation against Ukraine shows how little Putin worries about the West
(Washington Post)
"At a minimum, Mr. Putin’s aggression ought to affect the reception he receives from Mr. Trump at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires. The Kremlin said Monday that a meeting between the two leaders was “being prepared” regardless of the naval attack, though the White House did not confirm that. Mr. Trump could send a message by refusing to meet Mr. Putin; if he does go ahead with a bilateral meeting, he ought to begin it by telling the Russian leader that his assault on Ukraine is unacceptable and will have consequences. A failure to do so would simply confirm Mr. Putin’s evident belief that further aggression against Ukraine will cost him nothing with this U.S. president."

- Trump refuses to condemn Russian aggression against Ukraine
(CNN)




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Monday 
26. November
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- Estonian Cyber Command: What Is It For?
(ICDS)
"Over the years, Estonia has maintained a leading position in developing NATO’s cyber defence policy. … In August 2018, the Estonian Defence Forces launched a cyber command, whose mission is to defend the country’s information systems and to assist NATO allies, and to prepare for conducting active cyber defence operations."




- Ukraine Is Accusing Russia of Attacking and Seizing Three of its Ships in the Black Sea

(Mother Jones | RFERL)

"The Ukrainian Navy says Russian forces opened fire on a group of its ships in the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimean Peninsula late on November 25, striking two warships and wounding two crew members before seizing the vessels along with a Ukrainian Navy tugboat."


—

- Otseblogi: Konflikt Aasovi merel
(Delfi)

- Russia restores passage via Kerch Strait after seizing Ukrainian vessels
(BNN | Deutsche Welle)
--

- What martial law in Ukraine could mean for nation
(Kyiv Post)

- How To Respond To Moscow’s Azov Escalation
(CEPA)




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BREXIT
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- Briti parlament hääletab Brexiti-leppe üle enne jõule
(Postimees)
"Täna Brüsselis toimunud Euroopa Liidu 27 liikmesriigi riigipea ja valitsusjuhi erakorralisel kohtumisel kiideti heaks Ühendkuningriigi Euroopa Liidust väljaastumisleping ning edasiste suhete deklaratsioon.”

- EU leaders sign off 'tragic' divorce with Britain
(Deutsche Welle | NY Magazine)
"Leaders of 27 European Union nations on Sunday endorsed an agreement detailing the terms and conditions on which Britain will leave the bloc on March 19, 2019. … But British PM Theresa May still needs to get the deal approved from the UK parliament.”
—
"Negotiations continued up to the last minute on the 585-page withdrawal agreement, which has drawn fierce criticism from euroskeptics as well as pro-EU politicians in Britain."
--

- Bank and Treasury predictions showing UK would be better off within EU undermine PM’s position
(The Guardian)

- Brexit: Juncker warns British MPs against voting down May's deal
(The Guardian)
"In an uncompromising and direct message to Westminster, the European commission president claimed the bloc had made its final offer. “I am totally convinced that this is the only deal possible,” Juncker said.”
—
"Without need for discussion, the 27 member states unanimously backed the terms of the voluminous draft withdrawal treaty, covering citizens’ rights, the £39bn divorce bill and the solution for the Irish border, along with a 26-page political declaration setting out the basis of the future relationship.”

- Brexit deal to be debated for five days ahead of parliament vote
(Euronews)
"Commons Speaker John Bercow can select up to six ammendments to the deal for these discussions, ahead of the December 11 vote."

- Opinion: The Brexit road to Britain’s collapse
(Financial Times)
"If all this were not so deadly serious it would be laughably absurd. In truth, the big danger is of the absurdity obscuring the seriousness. Britain is dismantling an economic and political relationship with its own continent that has been more than 40 years in the making. EU membership is woven into the fabric of the nation. It has been a vital pillar of foreign policy. Brexit means Brexit, Mrs May said a while ago. Her own party has yet to agree on what she meant."

- Who becomes the U.S.'s best friend after Britain leaves the E.U.?
(Washington Post)
"A once-indispensable proxy in Europe no longer has clout that it can exercise on Washington’s behalf. Britain’s exit from the E.U. will force a broad realignment of Europe and will probably put in play a number of issues — from sanctions on Russia to free trade to military strategy — that are critical to the United States."
--
“Having had the U.K. in made it easy for us. We were on the phone all the time. We were aligned ideologically in almost every way,” said Anthony Gardner, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union under President Barack Obama. “That was our go-to country.”


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Posted by at

16 November, 2018





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Friday
16. November 
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- 22 Tuhat Tulukest: Tallinna jõulukuusk
(Pealinn)
"Ainuüksi LED-tuledega valguskette tuleb kuusele kokku ligi kilomeeter. Lisaks teine kilomeeter juhtmeid, mis ühendavad punaseid tulukestega südameid – neid on sada tükki, igaühes 120 tulukest. Kokku süttib meie jõulukuusel 22 000 tulukest. Peale nende ehivad kuuske umbes sada kreemikat jõulukuuli, millele lisanduvad valgustusega punased ja kuldsed kuulid."



- Kuperjanovlased vandusid Eestile truudust
(Lõuna Eestlane)
"Kuperjanovi jalaväepataljonis andis täna truudusetõotuse Eesti Vabariigile üle 300 sõduri, kes lõpetasid sellega oma väljaõppe esimese osa."



- The Lasva Water Tower
(Atlas Obscura)
"The old water tower that once stood empty and rusting in the small village of Lasva, Estonia, has been transformed into a wonderfully creative gallery space. The rectangular brick building is painted all white except for a striking red and blue traditional pattern across the center of the tower. … The most interesting thing about the new space is the musical spiral staircase that’s modeled after a piano. The steps run circularly over the middle atrium and include all the notes of the scale, so if you plan your steps accordingly you can play a melody."



- Rootsi valitsus ja rahvas on teinud Baltimaadele kingituse
(Postimees)
"Kingitus kujutab endast hiljuti loodud fondi, mille eesmärk on tugevdada ja süvendada eestlaste ja rootslaste vahelist ühistegevust, seda eelkõige nooremate põlvkondade seas. Rootsi valitsus kavatseb eraldada 10 miljonit Rootsi krooni (umbes 973 000 eurot – toim) fondi algkapitaliks."



✔︎ Migrant arrivals in EU set to reach 5-year low
(Deutsche Welle)
"Despite this, an EU dispute over the arrivals continues to feed anti-migrant sentiment. … The number of people arriving in Italy is down 87 percent compared to last year."



- Eestis saab kasvatada kvaliteetseid laua- ja veiniviinamarju
(ERR)
"Eestit peetakse karmi kliimaga põhjamaiseks piirkonnaks, mis üldiselt ei sobi soojalembeste kultuurtaimede kasvatuseks. Kuid tänu sordiaretusele saab tekitada ka selliseid soojalembeste kultuurtaimede sorte, mis kasvavad isegi karmi kliimaga piirkondades."



- European lawmakers ask Amazon to stop selling Soviet-themed merchandise
(The Guardian)
[T-shirts and other goods offend victims of Soviet regime.]



- EU: 10 Things About the Brexit Deal
(Politico-Europe)
"The 585-page draft agreement between Brussels and London will become the legal basis for Britain’s departure from the European Union — if it is agreed by EU27 leaders, then ratified by the U.K. parliament and the European Parliament.”



- Trump pakkus Eesti suursaadiku kohta Mira Ricardelile
(ERR)
"USA president Donald Trump tegi oma endisele riikliku julgeolekunõuniku asetäitjale Mira Ricardelile ettepaneku asuda suursaadikuks Eestis, kuid ta keeldus, teatas reedel Bloomberg.”

"Trump Offered to Nominate Mira Ricardel as Ambassador to Estonia. … Deputy national security adviser said to have turned down Baltic post."



✔︎ Estonian politicians are reportedly fueling a false panic regarding UN migration pact
(Baltic Times)

- Otseblogi ja videod: Ratas otsib jätkuvalt lepitust, koalitsioonierakondade juhid kohtuvad pühapäeval
(Postimees)

- UN's global migration compact stirs up Estonia's calm politics
(BNN)
--
—




_____________

Thursday
15. November 
_____________


- German chancellor: The future of Europe
(Politico-Europe)
"Angela Merkel delivered what may well be her last speech at the European Parliament on Wednesday to address a question that never seems to go out of fashion — the future of Europe. … With the chancellor’s own political future in question, it’s not clear what role she’ll play in the Continent’s future, if any. Nonetheless, Merkel’s authority on the European stage remains unmatched, which explains why even those who oppose her were listening closely to her remarks."

- Revisiting the Map of Europe, 100 Years Later 
by Edward Lucas
(CEPA)
"Pride and nostalgia abound in November 2018 as countries mark the end of the First World War and the birth (or rebirth) of independent nations that followed the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian, German, and Russian empires. …"

- Is Europe Falling Apart?
(Foreign Policy)
"Brussels is standing tough, but moderates like Theresa May are gradually being pushed out of power in Europe."

- America’s Allies Must Step Up as America Steps Down
(Foreign Affairs)
"The order that has structured international politics since the end of World War II is fracturing. Many of the culprits are obvious. … Meanwhile, international institutions, such as the UN, struggle to address problems that multiply faster than they can be resolved. The newest culprit, however, is a surprise: the United States, the very country that championed the order’s creation."



- How states can get real about Russian cyber attacks: Estonia, the UK, and Poland explain
(Euromaidan Press)



- In Sweden, conscription and a leaflet on how to prepare for war – just in case
(Christian Science Monitor)
"Since its intervention in Crimea and Ukraine, Russia has been a growing concern for neighbors in the Baltics and Scandinavia. But is it moving Sweden to truly step away from a longtime pacifist, neutral stance?"



- Raport: USA võib Baltikumi kaitstes sõjas Venemaaga valusalt lüüa saada
(Postimees)
"«Kui USA peaks võitlema Venemaaga mõnes Balti riigis või Hiinaga Taiwani iseseisvuse üle, seisaksid ameeriklased silmitsi sõjalise kaotusega,» seisab Ühendriikide kongressi Riikliku Julgeolekustrateegia Komitee raportis."



- From war port to artistic hub: The transformation of Latvia’s Karosta
(Euronews)
"Karosta, or “war port” in Latvian, was founded as a naval base under the Tsarist empire in the late 19th century. It retained this use during Nazi occupation in World War II."
--
"When the Red Army invaded the country, the Soviets modernised the area and turned it into a closed city, where hard-to-obtain permits were required to get in and out. During this period, up to 20,000 people lived and worked in the “outdoor prison”.




_____________

Wednesday
14. November 
_____________


- NATO: Russian forces blamed for jamming GPS during Norway military exercise
(Multiple Sources)
"The NATO exercise, which took place in Norway between Oct. 16 and Nov. 7, was the alliance's largest exercise since the Cold War, according to the network. It was dubbed Trident Juncture and involved around 50,000 troops from 31 countries, including Finland and Sweden.”
—
--
--
—
"Russia is certainly capable of jamming GPS signals.”
--



- Estonia's independence a foreign policy success story
(ERR)
"Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Mikser (SDE) visited Tartu on Tuesday to present a new volume of speeches, titled "Estonian Ministers of Foreign Affairs: The World and Us,” … "Foreign policy is fast-paced in nature," he said. "Sometimes distance is necessary to fathom how rapidly Estonia has progressed in the past 27 years. The small country steadfast in pursuing memberships of NATO and the EU has become a reliable partner to many countries, and leads the way in fields such as cybersecurity."



- Estonian MEP Tunne Kelam to be awarded the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom
(Estonian World)
"The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation will award the Medal of Freedom, alongside with Kelam, also to the former president of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus, and the Latvian MEP and author, Sandra Kalniete."



- Can't afford Copenhagen? Try Tallinn instead
(Virgin Media)
“… there are two types of Tallinn; the one that appeals to lads on tour looking for a dirt cheap weekend, and the one that’s quietly asserting itself as one of Europe’s most exciting gastronomical cities – thanks to a new generation of fusion restaurants, and Scandi-inspired brunch spots that are popping up at a rapid rate."



- Book Review: The Vory - Russia’s Super Mafia by Mark Galeotti
(War on the Rocks)
"The vory, the professional elite of Russian organized crime, have roots that go far back into the days of the tsars. While many historians trace the origins of organized crime to the emergence of the mafia in Sicily in the mid-19th century, a new book by Mark Galeotti suggests that professional criminals were an important component of Russian society as much as a century before that. Like the Sicilian mafia, they developed customs and rituals, codes of conduct, and even their own language and song. …"





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Tuesday
13. November 
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- NATO looks to startups, disruptive tech to conquer emerging threats
(Reuters)
"General Andre Lanata, who took over as head of the NATO transformation command in September, told a conference in Berlin that his command demonstrated over 21 “disruptive” projects during military exercises in Norway this month."



- Opinion: Macron’s Call for European Boots
(Carnegie Europe)
"A European army is not the answer to the EU’s miserable foreign and security ambitions or the rift with the United States."



- Trump confused Baltics with Balkans at a meeting with Baltic presidents in April
(Baltic Times)





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Monday
12. November
_____________


- Putin: Venemaa suhtub NATO õppustesse oma piiride lähedal rahulikult
(ERR | Postimees)
"Mis puudutab õppusi, siis ka meie korradame neid, kuigi me püüame mitte teha täiemahulisi õppusi NATO piiride lähedal," sõnas Putin propagandakanaliks peetava Vene uudistetalituse RT prantsuskeelsele harule RT France."
--

- Putin: mõte luua Euroopa sõjavägi on igati loomulik
(Delfi)



- Hundreds of thousands march to celebrate Polish independence
(Politico-Europe)
"Independence day ceremonies underline the country’s deep political divisions."



- Germany's political middle falls apart. Will Europe's center hold?
(Christian Science Monitor)
"Voters' flight from the political middle “is a lasting trend that makes Germany similar to its neighbors in Europe,” says Gero Neugebauer, who teaches politics at the Free University of Berlin. “It’s a trend to normalization and we have to get used to it.”
—
“In some countries, we see a completely redrawn political landscape,” agrees Morgan Guérin, head of the Europe program at the Montaigne Institute, a Paris-based think tank. “Where big blocs on the left and right used to dominate … now four or five parties can win around 20 percent.”
—
“There is definitely a crisis of confidence in liberal democracy.”




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Esimese maailmasõja lõpu 
11. kuu | 11. päeval | kell 11 
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- Macron kutsus ilmasõja mälestusüritusel ehitama lootust, mitte hirmu
(ERR)
"Pariisis tähistati suurejooneliselt Esimese maailmasõja lõpu 100. aastapäeva, kohal viibis umbes 70 riigipead kogu maailmast. Prantsusmaa president Emmanuel Macron kutsus kokkutulnuid üles ehitama lootust, mitte hirmu."



- Juhtkiri: mäletage ajalugu!
(Postimees)
"11. kuu 11. päeval kell 11 möödus täpselt sada aastat suure sõja lõpust. Maailm poleks ilma Esimese maailmasõjata selline, nagu me seda praegu tunneme. Saab öelda, et me elame veel tänini selle sõja varjus. Poleks olnud Esimest maailmasõda, ei tähistaks me tänavu Eesti Vabariigi 100. sünnipäeva. Samas poleks olnud Hitlerit ega Stalinit, Gulagi ega holokausti. Selleks, et selgeks õppida Esimese maailmasõja õppetunnid, kulus ära veel Teine maailmasõda, milleks valmistumine algas ju ka õigupoolest sellel samal 1918. aastal. Sest kui poleks olnud võitjariikide kättemaksuhimust lähtunud 1919. aasta Versailles’ rahu, poleks olnud ka Teist maailmasõda. Nagu Prantsuse relvajõudude juhataja marssal Ferdinand Foch asja kommenteeris: «See pole rahu, vaid 20-aastane vaherahu.» Nii läkski. …”



- Nationalism Rebuked at World War I Commemoration
(The Guardian | New York Times)
"The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has warned of the dangers of rising nationalism as he addressed Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and other world leaders at a ceremony in Paris to mark the 100th anniversary of the first world war armistice. As more than 60 heads of state and dignitaries gathered in the rain near Paris’s tomb of the unknown soldier to mark a century since guns fell silent on the western front, Macron delivered a pointedly political speech, warning that “old demons” were resurfacing and threatened the fragile peace."
--
"Later Macron commented that it was great to have world leaders at the Arc de Triomphe for the first world war memorial but asked how the photos would be seen in the future: “A symbol of lasting peace? Or the last moment of unity before the world falls into disorder? That depends on us.”
--
“Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism,” Mr. Macron said in a speech on a dreary, rain-soaked day. “Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism by saying, ‘our interest first, who cares about the others?’ ”
—
--
—

- From nationalism to 'fake news,' legacies of World War I still relevant
(Christian Science Monitor)

- Key Features of Today’s World Rooted in World War I
(Window on Eurasia)



- Strategy Without Politics is No Strategy: A Lesson of World War I
(Lawfare)
"On this 100th anniversary of the war’s armistice, as we grieve the loss of 19 million lives and the shattering of fin de ciecle European societies, another consequential lesson for our current wars rings out from the battlefields of the Somme and Bealleau Wood: politics must be integral for military planning to rise to the level of strategy."

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