2024-02-14 14:54:40
Estonia has summoned the charge d’affaires of the Russian embassy in Tallinn because of the inclusion of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and State Secretary Taimar Peterkop on a Russian wanted list. At the conversation on Wednesday, outrage was expressed at Russia’s move and a written explanation was demanded, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said.
The Russian diplomat was informed that Moscow’s actions would not have the desired effect on Estonia’s politics, it said. The Foreign Ministry also informed the representative of Russia that these steps by the Russian state would not deter Estonia from “doing the right thing and that Estonia will not change its resolute support for Ukraine.”
Neighboring Latvia also invited the Russian chargé d’affaires to the Foreign Ministry for talks. According to a statement, there were strong protests and condemnation of the Russian practice of extending its national jurisdiction beyond its borders to Latvia. Latvia also said it was working with the EU to resolve the matter and was trying to minimize any risk to its nationals.
In Lithuania, the Foreign Ministry called on a representative of the Russian Embassy for an “immediate end to the politically motivated persecution of Lithuanian citizens.” Russia’s actions contradict generally accepted norms of international law, demonstrate attempted falsification of history and disregard Lithuania’s historical memory, it said in a statement.
The three former Soviet republics now belong to the European Union and NATO. They are among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine and the most vocal critics of the Russian leadership.
Russia had previously put Kallas and other high-ranking politicians from the Baltic states – including more than 80 from Latvia and also Lithuania’s Culture Minister Simonas Kairys – on a wanted list. The Russian authorities accuse them of demolishing Soviet war memorials.
Kallas herself reacted unimpressed to her inclusion on the wanted list and described it as “not surprising”. “This is further proof that I am doing the right thing,” she wrote on the social network X (formerly Twitter). Kallas is a sharp critic of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. She also defended this line during her visit to Vienna last week, where she took part in the Opera Ball as a guest of Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP).
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