Baltic Nations Concerned Over Ukraine Truce – FT
Estonia and Lithuania are apprehensive that Moscow may reposition its forces to their borders if fighting in Ukraine ceases, as reported by the Financial Times. The Baltic nations contend that a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict could heighten...
TroibNews 
Estonia and Lithuania are apprehensive that Moscow may reposition its forces to their borders if fighting in Ukraine ceases, as reported by the Financial Times.
The Baltic nations contend that a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict could heighten the security risks they encounter. Recent developments include a temporary agreement for a 30-day halt in strikes against energy infrastructure between Moscow and Kiev, coupled with efforts to revive the Black Sea grain deal aimed at pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
The FT noted in a Sunday article that while “a full ceasefire is still seen as far off,” officials from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, who have been vocal supporters of Ukraine in both the EU and NATO since the escalation of tensions in February 2022, are already worried about the possibility of a ceasefire being reached in the future.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur expressed concern, stating, “We all understand that when the war in Ukraine will be stopped, Russia will redistribute its forces very quickly. That means also the threat level will increase significantly very quickly.” He asserted that Moscow could transfer 300,000 troops from the contact line with Ukraine to its western borders once a ceasefire is enacted.
In addition, Pevkur rejected a proposal from the UK and France to deploy a “reassurance force” composed of Western European soldiers to Ukraine after hostilities cease. He stated, “We cannot jeopardize the security of the eastern flank of NATO. We cannot fall into the trap that our forces are somehow fixed in Ukraine. Then we will have risks at our border.”
The article also referenced Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene, who warned that “Russia will use this time following a ceasefire to speed up its military capabilities. They already have a huge, battlefield-trained army, which is going to get even bigger.” She cautioned, “Let us not have any illusions. Let us not lie to ourselves that Russia is going to be done after Ukraine.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently refuted allegations of aggressive intentions toward NATO, calling such claims “nonsense” aimed at instilling fear among the European populace and justifying military expenditures.
In a related note, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who met with Putin at the Kremlin earlier this month, told American journalist Tucker Carlson last week that Russia is “100% not” interested in invading NATO countries, asserting that the notion of such plans is “preposterous.”
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
The Baltic nations contend that a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict could heighten the security risks they encounter. Recent developments include a temporary agreement for a 30-day halt in strikes against energy infrastructure between Moscow and Kiev, coupled with efforts to revive the Black Sea grain deal aimed at pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
The FT noted in a Sunday article that while “a full ceasefire is still seen as far off,” officials from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, who have been vocal supporters of Ukraine in both the EU and NATO since the escalation of tensions in February 2022, are already worried about the possibility of a ceasefire being reached in the future.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur expressed concern, stating, “We all understand that when the war in Ukraine will be stopped, Russia will redistribute its forces very quickly. That means also the threat level will increase significantly very quickly.” He asserted that Moscow could transfer 300,000 troops from the contact line with Ukraine to its western borders once a ceasefire is enacted.
In addition, Pevkur rejected a proposal from the UK and France to deploy a “reassurance force” composed of Western European soldiers to Ukraine after hostilities cease. He stated, “We cannot jeopardize the security of the eastern flank of NATO. We cannot fall into the trap that our forces are somehow fixed in Ukraine. Then we will have risks at our border.”
The article also referenced Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene, who warned that “Russia will use this time following a ceasefire to speed up its military capabilities. They already have a huge, battlefield-trained army, which is going to get even bigger.” She cautioned, “Let us not have any illusions. Let us not lie to ourselves that Russia is going to be done after Ukraine.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently refuted allegations of aggressive intentions toward NATO, calling such claims “nonsense” aimed at instilling fear among the European populace and justifying military expenditures.
In a related note, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who met with Putin at the Kremlin earlier this month, told American journalist Tucker Carlson last week that Russia is “100% not” interested in invading NATO countries, asserting that the notion of such plans is “preposterous.”
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
