US defence officials urged the Baltic States to tone down their rhetoric on the threat posed by Russia, arguing that some statements had undermined European security, Reuters reported. One of the US officials was Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of Defence for Policy at the US Defence Department, who insisted on not “poking” Russia. He pointed to suggestions that Russia was “cornered like a rat” and was therefore resorting to increasingly desperate measures. He may have been referring to an earlier statement by Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal. However, Baltic leaders said that they had not received any official US requests to soften their statements on Russia, LSM reported.
Michal assured that he would not change his tone or remain silent about Russia, ERR reported. Estonia would continue to raise awareness about Russia’s aggression and its crimes in Ukraine, he said. “Pleasing dictators or remaining silent is not the solution,” Michal insisted. Russia is carrying out hybrid attacks and “behaving like a terrorist,” he noted. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that it was not in Estonia’s interest to provoke Russia, ERR reported. “Rather, Russia was provoking us,” he said, pointing out that Russia was “organising terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage” against Europe. He noted that Estonia was respected in the US and NATO for its expertise and intelligence on Russia.
Lithuanian leaders said that they had received no requests from the US to temper their statements on Russia, LRT reported. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius insisted that no requests would make him change his position on Russia. However, Deividas Matulionis, chief national security adviser to President Gitanas Nauseda, said that there was “certainly no need to deliberately provoke or irritate Russia,” LRT reported. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas insisted that Lithuania’s statements on Russian threats were “always based on facts,” LRT reported. He said that Lithuania did not try or wish to provoke Russia in any manner. “We state the facts and will continue to do so,” he added.