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10 July, 2020


The Coronavirus Crisis Brought New Realism to Estonian-Finnish Relations
By Kristi Raik, ICDS - 25. June
“The coronavirus has given a new boost to cooperation among the three Baltic states. Estonia is happy about relations with neighbouring Latvia being better than ever. At the same time, many Estonians feel disappointed at Finland’s actions during the crisis. Perhaps Estonia’s expectations of its northern neighbour were too high.”
—
“Former Estonian prime minister Mart Laar, commenting in April on Finland’s decisions in the crisis, said that Estonia should focus more on its relations with the other Baltic countries and stop dreaming about a “special relationship” with Finland. As a historian, he knows that Estonia has often expected more of Finland than vice versa.”













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Friday 10. July
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Climate Neutrality and the Future of Estonia’s Industrial North-East
By Andrei V. Belyi, ICDS
“Estonia’s energy production has been inexorably based on a carbon-intensive source, and partly for this reason, Estonia has been among the EU leaders in carbon-intensity per capita. Hence, the whole energy structure and industrial base of Ida-Virumaa are bound to be hit by Europe’s efforts to achieve a carbon-neutral future. Ida-Virumaa does not have to become a new social and economic wasteland as a result of this transition, but it is in need of bold ideas on how to remain the energy powerhouse of Estonia.”





Baltics in a bid to host US troops departing Germany
(LRT)
“As thousands of US troops are set to depart Germany, Latvia has said it would be ready to host them in the Baltics. … Poland is already in line to receive some of the 9,500 troops …”



The Post-INF European Missile Balance: Thinking About NATO’s Deterrence Strategy
By Luis Simón, Alexander Lanoszka - TNSR
“Of particular importance is the Baltic region, where Russia appears to have acquired a position of “local escalation dominance” that could drive a strategic wedge within NATO. … We argue that the introduction of ground-based, theater-range missiles could help NATO restore the local strategic balance in the Baltic region, thereby strengthening deterrence and helping to create the necessary leverage to get Russia back into meaningful arms control talks in the future.”



Putini juuniteesid
Vladimir Juškin, Postimees
“Möödunud kuul avaldatud Vladimir Putini artikkel II maailmasõja «tegelikest» õppetundidest sõja 75. aastapäeval sisaldab teadlikult  kodeeritud tulevikusõnumit, millesse tuleb suhtuda täie tõsidusega, kirjutab Balti Venemaa Uurimise Keskuse direktor.”



Putin’s Plan Is A Threat To The Baltic States
By Marko Mihkelson, UpNorth | 1. July
“The Baltic States, together with their allies, should keep their eyes open for potentially dangerous turbulence in their relations with Russia in the coming months. … In a recent article about Soviet WWII history, written by Vladimir Putin and  published in “The National Interest” – which is controlled by Putin sympathizer Dmitri Simes – Putin takes serious aim at the Baltic States.”



Propaganda 101: The Kremlin on the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
(EU vs. Disinfo)
“The Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact is not a complicated issue. It is very well documented; all documents have been available for research for decades. The outcome, the causes and the results are well studied and well known. Yet, the Kremlin is desperately struggling with how to relate to it.”



Baltic Sea pollution is vast and still not reined in
(BNN)
“When in mid-June greasy stains were spotted in the Baltic waters adjacent to the Russian oil platform, known as D-6, in Kaliningrad, in close proximity to the Curonian strip under UNESCO protection, Lithuanian authorities started ringing alarm bells. But like in many cases before Russia was out of reach.”



Poland’s election: A choice between authoritarianism or rule of law
(Politico-Europe)
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Eestist Suurbritanniasse reisides peab jääma karantiini, Soomest mitte
(ERR)
"Eesti on seda ka Ühendkuningriigile väljendanud. Me ootame, et Ühendkuningriigid täiendaks praegu kehtivat nimekirja kõige esimesel võimalusel ja Eesti diplomaadid töötavad selle nimel aktiivselt. Välisministeerium ei tea, miks Eestit karantiinikohustuseta riikide nimekirjas pole ning Krusteni sõnul on see koguni mõistetamatu.”







Russia has Suffered More than 30,000 Deaths from Pandemic, but the Kremlin Continues to Lie
By Paul Goble
“… the Russian government has ignored the actual numbers in order to present itself to the Russian people and the world as more successful in combatting the pandemic than other countries.”





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Thursday 9. July
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Arvamus: Lenin, lõbunaine ja anastussammas
Ülle Harju, Postimees - 4. juuli
“Kirgede keeris Konstantin Pätsi ausamba kavandi ümber paneb mõtlema, kellele ja millist ausammast võiks üldse avalikku ruumi püstitada ja millised sambad peaks muuseumi viima.”



Intervjuu: EKRE uus esimees Martin Helme
(ERR)
“EKRE tõstab end ikka üksinda kõigi teiste vastu. See tõi neile edu mullu parlamendivalimistel, sama joont hoiavad nad praegu ka valitsuses. "Contra mundum," selgitab rahanduminister Martin Helme, kes kolm päeva tagasi võttis isalt Mart Helmelt erakonna juhtimise üle. Aga ta ütleb intervjuus ka asju, millele ei pea tõlget otsima. EKRE koalitsioonikaaslastel, põllumeestel ja sotsidel on meelerahu huvides soovitav seda intervjuud mitte lugeda.”






Tartu ülikool eemaldas ühismeediast Hiina-kriitilise arvamusloo postituse 
(Delfi)
“Juuni keskel postitas Tartu ülikool oma blogisse kahe välistudengi kirjutatud arvamusloo, kus õppurid kirjeldavad Hongkongi protesti tagamaid. Mõne tunni pärast oli postitus kadunud, arvamusloo autoritele selgitas Tartu ülikooli töötaja juhtunut väitega, et ülemus käskis.”



Tartu ülikooli üliõpilasesindus toetab tudengeid, kes kirjutasid probleemidest Hongkongis
(Delfi)
“Tartu ülikool kustutas oma ühismeediast postituse kahe tudengi Hiina-kriitilise arvamusloole. Täna avaldas Tartu ülikooli üliõpilasesindus arvamusloo autoritele toetust.”



USA saatkond plaanib kolida
(Postimees)
“Ameerika Ühendriikidel on soov soetada Eestisse uus saatkonna hoone. USA saatkond Eestis on potentsiaalse kinnistu hoonestamise planeerinud Väike-Ameerika ja Suur-Ameerika tänava nurgale, hetkel töötavad nad Kentmanni tänaval.”





Lessons from Estonia for a radical digital future
(The National - Scotland)
“Estonia utilised its history and gained a foothold in the digital world.”



Historic pictures of Estonia and its people, restored in color
(Estonian World)
“The Estonian photo enthusiast, Hanno Puskar, colourises old black and white photos of Estonia and its people.”



Current Crisis Pushing Russia toward Mussolini-Style Fascism
By Paul Goble
“The current economic crisis sparked by the collapse of oil prices and the spread of the coronavirus pandemic is having the same effect in many countries that the onset of the great depression had in the 1930s, Sergey Pereslegin says, pushing them towards a Mussolini-style “corporate state” or fascism. … what happened across Europe in the 1930s is likely to be repeated given the depth of the current crisis.”



NATO’s New Problem: China
(Foreign Policy)
“The alliance has been so focused on Moscow that it has missed Beijing’s growing clout across Europe.”
—
“First, NATO needs a common assessment of China’s hybrid threats—a mix of diplomatic, economic, security, information, and technological actions designed to quietly undermine democratic states and institutions to Beijing’s benefit while avoiding a traditional conflict. While China’s conventional military threat in the Indo-Pacific is far from NATO’s borders, its hybrid activities are happening in the alliance’s own backyard.”









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Wednesday 8. July
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Lithuania Bans Russia's RT Television Channels
(The Moscow Times)
“Fellow EU and NATO member Latvia took RT off the air last week, the latest in a string of moves by Vilnius and Riga against Russian media owing to propaganda concerns.”








MQ-9 Reaper deploys to Estonia
(War is Boring)
“… the aircraft will be performing ISR missions in support of NATO until they return to Poland.”



EU faces deeper recession than expected: European Commission
(Deutsche Welle)
“For the 27 countries that comprise the EU, a downturn of 8.3% is expected in 2020, before growing by 5.8% in 2021. … It means that, in 2021, Europe will still be worse off than before the global outbreak of COVID-19.”





The Fight for Poland’s Place in Europe
(Berlin Policy Journaal)
“The outcome of Poland’s presidential election on July 12 will cause ripples not only in the country itself, but also in Europe. Formally, the Polish presidency is a mostly ceremonial post, though with the power to veto laws. Yet symbolically, the result of the election will shape whether Poland becomes more open or closed—and its role within the post-Brexit, coronavirus-era EU.”



Putin Sheds the Last Pretenses of Legitimacy to Extend His Rule
(Time)
“The formal result of 78 percent in favor announced by the central electoral commission is no more meaningful—and bears no more relation to actual sentiments in the country—than the 99 percent the Communists invariably scored in single-slate Soviet “elections.”



One of Russia’s Leading Journalists Is Charged With Treason: Chill Settles Over the Press
By Anna Nemtsova, The Daily Beast
“Ivan Safronov, under pressure for his coverage, hoped he would be protected when he went to work for the Russian space agency. But now he’s been arrested as a spy for the Czechs.”








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Tuesday 7. July
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Balti riigid näitasid koroonaviiruse-vastases võitluses ülejäänud Euroopale tagatulesid
(Postimees)
“ÜRO egiidi alla kuuluva projekti Kestliku arengu eesmärgid (ingliskeelse lühendina SDG) raames tehtud raportis selgus, et kõik kolm Balti riiki on koroonaviiruse leviku tõkestamise edukuse vallas maailma absoluutses tipus.”













Estonia to commission diaspora research for €50,000
(ERR)
“In order to get to know our expat communities better and help them keep in touch with Estonia, so that they can actively have a say in making our lives better, we need to get to know them. The diversity and viability of expat Estonian communities shows that a small but strong Estonian language and culture are viable.”



USA lennukite viibimine Eestis saadavad selge signaali liitlaste ühtsusest
(Postimees)
“Kaitseminister Jüri Luik arutas NATO Euroopa vägede ülemjuhataja kindral Tod Woltersiga NATO kaitse- ja heidutushoiakut.”












II maailmasõja tõlgendused à la Kreml: Baltimaad kui vene ajaloo narratiivide sihtmärk
Vladimir Sazonov, Diplomaatia
“Oluline on siin rõhutada, et Putin ei tee midagi juhuslikult ja kõigel on oma eesmärk.”



Welcome to Late Putinism
By Brian Whitmore - CEPA
“Vladimir Putin has won the right to preside — over the stagnation of his exhausted regime.”


“Putin’s Constitution.” - Warsaw Institute



Rail Baltica Moves Ahead but Suffers From Major Construction Delays
By Olevs Nikers, Jamestown Org.
“Latvia and Estonia blame Lithuania, which built the wrong type of rails from Kaunas to Poland and is delaying fixing the blunder (Baltic Times, May 12, 2019). Train between Kaunas and Białystok started running in 2016. The approximately 200-kilometer-long journey takes almost five hours—far from the promised modern, high-speed connection.
Apparently, there are two ways to resolve this problem. The first is to completely rebuild the existing rail line. The second is to build new parallel rails. Both options require a lot of money.”
—
“Meanwhile, other important stumbling blocks exist in the other two Baltic States—Latvia and Estonia are far behind schedule in preparing the land up and down the new rail corridor.”



Survey: more Lithuanians view Belarus as unfriendly state
(Delfi)
“The number of Lithuanian residents considering Belarus to be an unfriendly state is rising amid ongoing disagreements over the Astravyets nuclear power plant …”



Estonia’s space policy – prioritizing e-gov, cybersecurity and AI
(Spacewatch)
“… the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia has created a new Estonian Space Policy and Program, for the period of 2020 – 2027, which will provide a long-term vision and set a concrete plan for the future.”



  • “Estonia, Amazon sign confidentiality agreement.” - Baltic Times





Estonia Rolls Back on Seasonal Worker Curb to End 'Strawberry War’
(New York Times)
“Opposition lawmakers had called for a special session of parliament on Monday, seeking to resolve the labour problem as farmers said that strawberries and other crops were rotting in the fields without seasonal workers from abroad to pick them. The decision means seasonal workers will be allowed to enter Estonia for up to six months in a year until April 2022.”


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Posted by at

19 June, 2020



Putin pens 9,000-word exegesis on WWII, defending Soviet non-aggression pact with Hitler and describing occupation of Baltic states as ‘with consent’ 
(Meduza)
“The National Interest — yes, the same international affairs journal run by Dmitri Simes, whose name appears more than 100 times in Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election — has published a new article credited to President Vladimir Putin about the Second World War.”





Putin rewrites World War II history and battles over historical memory
Analysis by Nathan Hodge, CNN
“The National Interest magazine published an essay by Russian President Vladimir Putin, about the legacy of the war in Europe.” 
—
[* ’The National Interest is a journal of the Conservative think tank Center for the National Interest, described in the Mueller report as the voice of the Russian authorities.’ - Delfi]
—
“The historical ruminations of Putin point to a larger campaign by Russia to reclaim some moral high ground -- and to justify its recent foreign policy.
For starters, there's Putin's description of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939, a nonaggression pact between Adolf Hitler's Germany and Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union. A secret annex in the treaty paved the way for a carve-up of Poland, which the Soviet Union invaded from the east just a few weeks after Nazi Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, and the occupation of the Baltic states in 1940.”
—
“His reading of history is likely to spark outrage in Poland and the Baltic states, which are now members of the European Union as well as members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. For all of those countries, Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its backing of separatists set a worrisome precedent: If Russia was willing to "intervene" on behalf of ethnic Russians in Crimea by sending its troops, would it do the same in the Baltics?”



Putini väited on täiesti valed
(Postimees)
“Välisminister Urmas Reinsalu sõnul jätkab Putin tänases ajakirjas National Interest avaldatud artiklis Teise maailmasõja kohta võltsi ajaloonarratiivi esitamist.”
—
“Eraldi peatub ta Balti riikidel, osundades et Balti riigid liitusid Nõukogude Liiduga lepingulisel alusel valitud rahvaesinduste nõusolekul ning see oli kooskõlas toonase rahvusvahelise ja siseriikliku õigusega. Need väited on täies mahus valed ja ma mõistan need täielikult hukka. Eriti küüniline on selliseid väiteid esitada just nädalal, mil möödub 80. aastat Balti riikide õigusvastasest okupeerimisest.”





Baltic states denounce Russia's attempts to rehabilitate Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
(Baltic Times)
“The Baltic states have denounced the bill under consideration by the State Duma of the Russian Federation that would aim to revoke a resolution adopted by the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR in 1989 and condemning the secret protocol of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.”
—
“… the draft legislation contains an interpretation of historical events that contradicts internationally well-established, undeniable and unambiguous facts, supported by extensive documentary evidence, and it may therefore be regarded as distortion of history.






Putini ajalookäsitlus püüab tõrjuda Eesti maailma perifeeriasse
(Delfi)
“Eile avalikustatud Venemaa presidendi Vladimir Putini artikkel, milles ta väidab, et Balti riigid liitusid Nõukogude liiduga vabatahtlikult, püüab ekspertide sõnul Baltikumi tähtsust maailmas pisendada. Rahvusvahelise kaitseuuringute keskuse tegevjuht Dmitri Teperik, kes on aastaid Kremli propagandat uurinud, ütles üheselt, et nii jõulist sõnumit Baltimaade ajalookäsitluses osas pole varem Kremlist tulnud nagu edastas seda eile ilmunud artikkel USA ajakirjas The National Interest.”
—
“Enne oli arutelusid ajaloo üle, aga nad kõik toimusid erineva kaliibriga poliitikute ja ekspertide vahel, aga nüüd on Venemaa president isiklikult midagi arvanud. Putini soov oli panna aruteludele punkti.”



Moscow Marks 80th Anniversary of Occupation of Baltic States by Celebrating Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
By Paul Goble
“80 years ago this week, Soviet forces occupied Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania annexing them to the USSR, as allowed by the secret protocols of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.  But instead of acknowledging this crime, the Russian authorities praise this deal between Hitler and Stalin and call the occupation voluntary and legal. … now, on this anniversary, “more than 40” Duma deputies are calling for the passing of a law that would annul the December 1989 declaration by the USSR Congress of Peoples Deputies which denounced the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and its secret protocols.”
—
            “Those behind this move say, the commentator continues, that the deputies of 1989 acted “unjustly” and incorrectly and that “the countries of the Baltic voluntarily joined the USSR on the basis of a vote of their citizens.” Consequently, they insist, “there was no occupation of the Baltic countries.””









Puhkus!! EstoUudised tuleb tagasi juulil.
—
EstoNews will be on a short break and will return in July.






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Friday 
19. June
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How Estonia used its digital state to beat back coronavirus
(Wired)
“The Baltic state relied on pragmatism over shiny toys to quash the pandemic. … three “digital solutions” that were created as a result – the KoroonaKaart online information hub, the self-assessment Korooonatest questionnaire, and the national chatbot SUVE, which answers questions about the emergency in Estonian and English.”



‘The pandemic has united us’: A media divide fades in the Baltics
(Christian Science Monitor)
“In the midst of a health crisis, Russian speakers in the Baltics switched loyalties to watch local news, helping Latvia and Estonia fare better against the coronavirus.”



Kersti Kaljulaid: kriisi ajal kannab vastutust kogu ühiskond
(Postimees)
“President Kersti Kaljulaid rääkis Kaitseväe Akadeemia lõpuaktusel peetud kõnes riigi kaitseplaanidest ja erinevate kriisidega toimetulemisest, rõhutades eriliselt liitlaste olulisust ja kriisideks valmisolemise vajalikkust.”



Maa-amet pani Vabadussõja monumendid kaardile
(ERR)
“Kaardirakenduses on monumentidele lisatud infopäring, kus on link kaldaerofotodele, et pärast asukoha kindlaks tegemist saaks monumenti linnulennult vaadata.”



Intervjuu: Urmas Paet
(ERR)
“Trumpi vägede vähendamise soolo on kehv areng.”





Riigiduuma arutab MRP üle, välisministeerium kutsus Venemaa suursaadiku vaibale
(Postimees)
“Resolutsioon, mille loobumist nüüd arutletakse, võeti vastu NSV Liidu Rahvasaadikute Kongressil 24. detsembril 1989.”
—
“Väljendame rahulolematust Riigiduumas menetletava eelnõu pärast. Rahvusvaheline kogukond on korduvalt ja tugevalt MRP hukka mõistnud. MRP ja selle salaprotokollid panid otseselt alguse kahe totalitaarrežiimi küünilisele maailmajagamisele ja sillutasid tee teise maailmasõjani, mis on meie ühise ajaloo üks kohutavamaid peatükke,» sõnas välisminister Urmas Reinsalu.”



EU will have to ‘remake civilization’ to eliminate emissions by 2050
(Politico-Europe)
“Cutting the Continent’s emissions to “net zero” — meaning Europe would sequester at least as much greenhouse gases as it produces — by 2050 will require a radical overhaul of nearly every aspect of the modern economy. Dramatic cuts in carbon will wipe out entire industries, transform others and force people to change the way they eat, work, live and travel.”



FSB Now Controls All Key Government Institutions in Russia
By Paul Goble - Window on Eurasia
“… says Moscow’s Dossier Research Center. It provides detailed support for its nine key conclusions.”






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Wednesday 
17. June
__________ 

The controversial plan to ship 660 tons of radioactive material from Estonia to Utah
(Salt Lake Tribune)
“Energy Fuels Resources, which operates the only conventional uranium mill in the United States near Blanding, Utah, applied for a permit to reprocess radioactive powder stored at the Silmet rare metals plant in Sillamäe, Estonia, for its uranium content. … The Silmet plant was built to process oil shale in the 1920s and was later used by the Soviet Union to enrich uranium for nuclear reactors and weapons.”



Interview: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg
(Euronews)



Europe: American society remains a superpower of influence, even if its politicians are not
(Washington Post)
“In Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Madrid, Lisbon and cities across Britain, protesters have taken to the streets to express solidarity with Americans but also to demand changes within their own countries.”
—
“The power of the U.S. tumult to change European minds is a testament to the enduring power of American culture in the world, analysts said.”



Twilight in Belarus
(CEPA)
“After 26 years of iron-fist rule, the Lukashenka regime is facing serious difficulties.”









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Tuesday 
16. June
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Üllatus: Rail Baltic on Euroopa megaprojektidest üks edukamaid
(Postimees)
“Kui lugeda viimaste päevade meediakajastusi, võib jääda mulje, et tähtis Euroopa institutsioon tulistas Rail Balticu täiesti auklikuks – pole tasuv, tähtajad venivad, koostöö ei klapi. Kui aga kontrollikoja raportisse sisse vaadata, selgub, et suurtest pooleliolevatest Euroopa megaprojektidest on Rail Baltic üks edukamaid.” 




Map / Catchment area assessment for Rail Baltica










US MQ-9 Reaper drones start operation out of Ämari Air Base
(ERR | others)
“… until the end of July.”
—
—



Estonia and the Three Seas Initiative
By Piret Kuusik, Visegrad Insight
“Initially, Estonia was a reluctant member of the initiative. The idea felt lofty and the US buy-in into the project limited. … A number of factors contribute to Estonia’s change of heart. Firstly, the active involvement of the US and President Trump’s personal buy-in are the primary motivations behind Estonia’s turn in policy as it provides the much sought-after political access to the Trump administration. Since the traditional channels of US foreign policymaking are in flux - decision making is concentrated in the White House and in the hands of personalities close to the President.”
—
“Estonia’s current jolt towards the US is its attempt to show its loyalty and support to Washington as the US is currently and continues to be an irreplaceable security partner in the region. For this reason, the political buy-in in Tallinn has been so immediate and robust. …”



Enter the era of the digital nomad
By Karoli Hindriks, Sifted
“Estonia has recently become the first country in the world to create a digital nomad visa — and others would be wise to follow suit.”



Transatlantic blues as Pompeo holds EU talks
(Politico)
“Definitely any [U.S.] withdrawal is not something we would like to see, but we believe that this is a U.S. decision anyway and … that the commitments with regards to Europe will not be diminished,” said Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius.”





NATO Needs A Coherent Approach To Defending Its Eastern Flank
(War on the Rocks)
“In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014, NATO created an asymmetrical defense posture along its eastern flank. It prioritized the defense of the Baltic Sea region and the Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — which the alliance considered most vulnerable to Russian pressure.”



Trump confirms he wants to cut US troop level in Germany to 25,000
(Stars & Stripes)
“Trump said he would withdraw some 9,500 American troops from Germany, reducing the force size there to about 25,000 until Germany spends more money on its defense.”












Coronavirus: 
Interactive map of Europe
(Euronews)








Russian Cybersecurity Company Launches PR Campaign in Baltics
(CEPA)
“In the Baltic states, Kaspersky is promoted intensively in articles published on popular online news portals. … None of the articles were marked as sponsored content or as commercials.”
—
“The issue is seen differently in Estonia. Lauri Aasmann, Director of Cyber Security at the Estonian Information Systems Authority, says public authorities and companies providing critical services have been advised to consider the risks involved in using any software, including antivirus software. “We have also pointed out that there have been security concerns over Kaspersky products. …”






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