Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has accused Vladimir Putin of using the threat of mass migration as a weapon to divide and weaken Europe.
Speaking in Tallinn on Friday, Kallas highlighted how the supporters of Ukraine are struggling to maintain unity in the face of Russia‘s aggressive tactics.
“What our adversaries know is migration is our vulnerability,” Kallas said. “The aim is to make life really impossible in Ukraine so that there would be migration pressure to Europe, and this is what they are doing.”
Kallas noted that Russia has already exerted migration pressure through disruptions in Syria and Africa via the Wagner group.
“I think we have to understand that Russia is weaponising migration. Our adversaries are weaponising migration,” she said. “They push the migrants over the border, and they create problems for the Europeans because they weaponise this since with human rights, you have to accept those people. And that is, of course, water to the mill of the far right.”
Admitting the severe plight of Ukrainians at the front, Kallas criticised the delay in delivering European promises of extra weapons, suggesting NATO should coordinate weapon deliveries.
“The problem is that our promises do not save lives,” she said.
Kallas is among several European politicians warning of the dire consequences of a Ukrainian defeat for Europe, countering claims that such a defeat could be contained.
Former Estonian President Toomas Ilves, speaking a day earlier, warned that up to 30 million Ukrainians might flee if Ukraine falls to Russia. He recalled Europe’s “complete meltdown” when faced with 2 million refugees from the Middle East in 2015.
A pamphlet from pro-Ukrainian NGOs highlighted how Russian shelling between October 2022 and January 2023 increased migration out of Ukraine by 25 percent compared to the previous year. Recent Russian attacks have targeted Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure.
Olena Halushka, board head at the International Centre for Ukrainian Victory said “Right now they are trying to bomb Ukraine into the Stone Age,” adding that the past two months have seen more damage than the entire winter of 2023. She urged Europe to consider the financial implications of millions of Ukrainians fleeing the war due to fear of occupation.
Kallas also pointed out that Russian assaults on Ukrainian cities occur daily. She acknowledged that, due to geography and history, some European countries do not perceive the threat of a Ukrainian defeat as equally dire.
“They don’t see and they don’t believe that if Ukraine falls Europe is in danger, the whole of Europe, maybe some countries, but not the whole of Europe,” she said.
Kallas pointed to incremental steps in strengthening European defence, such as the European Defense Fund, increased national defence spending, and a proposed shared defence debt bond. She denied any serious discussions about sending Estonian troops to Ukraine but argued it is beneficial to keep Putin uncertain about Europe’s plans.
Meanwhile, Russia‘s Foreign Ministry issued a warning to the West regarding Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied missiles and weapons against Russian targets.
Accusing the US and Britain of escalating the conflict, the ministry stated: “Once again, we should like to unequivocally warn Washington, London, Brussels and other western capitals, as well as Kyiv, which is under their control, that they are playing with fire. Russia will not leave such encroachments on its territory unanswered.”