Stop Russia now to prevent a wider conflict, Estonia warns

By TARA COPP
Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearing the one-year mark, Estonia’s military leaders are warning that if Vladimir Putin is not stopped now, he could entangle the region in a much larger conflict, perhaps one with even larger security implications for the U.S. Kristjan Mäe is the head of the Estonian Ministry of Defense’s NATO and EU department. He says Russia has shown it will keep trying to retake territories that were once part of the Soviet Union and, so far, economic sanctions and its significant military losses in Ukraine have not changed Putin’s goals. He spoke Thursday during a visit to the Baltic nation by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.