As U.S. support for Ukraine continues to divide Americans, former Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid wants to remind them of what is at stake.
Estonia is a northern European country on the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland, slightly larger than Denmark, with a coastline of 1,521 islands.
In a recent interview with Fox News Digital from his country's embassy in Washington, D.C., Kaljulaid described what is happening around the world as a “seismic shift” and said, “There is a world that loves freedom. And there is another world, a new axis of nations.” Evil – China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia lead the coalition. ”
“Ukraine has provided us with a brave move and an opportunity to win the first victory in this battle, and I don't think we should let it pass,” she said.
And the costs of securing a so-called “freedom-loving world” are relatively small, she argues.
“It is very important to understand that Ukrainians are dying, but we in the West are not spending anywhere near what is normally required to win a war. We are spending at a rate of 0.1% of GDP. And frankly, if we can spend $0.50, Ukraine wins, and it's the first time in history that we can actually win a major conflict with so few resources. It will be.”
Her visit came on the heels of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the United States, where he visited the battleground state of Pennsylvania with only Democratic lawmakers and called Sen. J.D. Vance “too radical.” This caused a stir among Republicans.
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On January 26, 2022, six US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets arrived at Emali Air Base, Estonia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Megan Beatty)
He was here to plead with Russia to allow the use of long-range missiles provided by the United States to strike deep inside Russian territory. So far, his pleas have fallen on deaf ears. The Biden administration is concerned about provoking nuclear-armed Russia and further increasing U.S. involvement in the war.
“I think Ukraine's invasion of Kursk oblast proves to us the threat posed by Russia.” [of escalation]they have no value,” Kaljulaid said.
In August, the Ukrainian army committed its best tanks to the offensive and took the risky move of invading the Kursk Oblast and seizing Russian territory, resulting in the destruction of several important villages and towns along the southern and eastern fronts. was exposed to Russian occupation.
Kaljulaid said he supports Zelensky's request to lift restrictions on ATACM, noting that Ukraine has already used these weapons to attack Crimea, which Russia considers territory.
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“Paradoxically, you could say there is nothing new.”
“President Putin is not playing the old Cold War game where one side escalates, then the other side escalates, and then everyone sits down and negotiates to bring the level down again. It's a terrorist regime.”
She added: “We're not following any rules. All bridges are burned. So if they think it's worth escalating, they'll decide anyway, but we're doing the right thing.” “We should do so and not worry about escalation.”
University of Maryland Survey on critical issues A survey conducted in July and August found that 48% of Americans say the United States should help Ukraine fight Russian aggression “for as long as necessary.” 39% said support should last one to two years, and a further 11% thought it should last two to five years.
The United States spent about $175 billion supporting the war in Ukraine, of which $106 billion went directly to the Ukrainian government. The rest funded U.S. operations related to the war and other affected countries in the region.
“This equates to about a third of the money considered wasted in coronavirus pandemic spending.” [in the U.S.]”
View of Tallinn, Estonia, January 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
“Compared to the economic power of the free world, we're not doing very much,” Kaljulaid said.
“Europe is doing more, and it is also a common mistake to think that Europe is not doing its part.Europe is currently doing more than we are, and I I really want healthy competition. Who's doing more?”
Since the war began, the United States has provided even more money to Ukraine, followed by Germany, Britain, Japan, and Canada. Denmark, Estonia and Lithuania's share in GDP topped the rankings1.8, 1.7, and 1.4%, respectively.
Kaljulaid declined to say whether relations would become more difficult under second-term President Donald Trump. Mr. Trump opposes aid to Ukraine and insists he can negotiate peace with Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Putin.
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In fact, she was optimistic that if Trump were elected to a second term, he would be as supportive of Eastern Europe as he was during his first term.
“The presence in Eastern Europe was huge. President Trump visited Poland; [former Vice President] Mike Pence visits Tallinn [Estonia’s capital]. ”
She cited President Trump's work on the Three Seas Initiative and actions to end Syria's chemical weapons attacks on civilians.
“It wasn't a simple thing. It was a very courageous thing to do, and it was exactly what you would expect from Republican foreign policy in the United States: defending the free world.”
