Estonia’s Prime Minister on the State of Eastern Europe

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Let me get your — well, ask you first about this alarming new intelligence that the United States has publicly revealed to you all that they believe a full-scale invasion is imminent. What can you tell us about that?

KAJA KALLAS, PRIME MINISTER OF ESTONIA: It is true that we see the buildup of tensions around Ukraine. We see cyberattacks. We see different provocations going on. So, definitely, they are preparing for additional aggression.

AMANPOUR: Do you believe, does your intelligence show you or intelligence that you are privy to from NATO whether Russian forces have already moved into that part of the eastern Donbass area that Putin just recognized as independent?

KALLAS: Well, they don’t really have to do that, because, if you think back to the years where Putin claimed that he has nothing to do with the little green men invading Ukraine, that it’s not Russian army, in fact, we were saying then we are saying now that these were Russian army soldiers. So they only need to change their uniforms, because they are already there. But, yes, we see also the military buildup, additional military buildup, which refers to a further strengthening of the aggression.

AMANPOUR: Prime Minister, the president of the United States has again said that he will reinforce, along with NATO allies, you all, you NATO allies, in terms of troops, I guess ,in terms of self-defense mechanisms. What have you received recently, if anything, and what are you calling for? How do you feel in terms of security at this moment?

KALLAS: Well, as both President Biden, but also Vice President Harrison and several high officials of U.S. administration have pointed out and said and emphasized, is that Article 5 of NATO is ironclad, which means that attack on one is attack on all. And we being NATO members, U.S. commit to defending us if necessary. But I would say we don’t see any military threat at our borders right now. And really moving — making any moves regarding us would mean really making moves on NATO, which I think it’s a bit too big bite for Russia.