Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal rejects appeals from Washington and maintains his harsh criticism of Vladimir Putin

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said on Friday, October 30, that he would not moderate his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid a Reuters report that Pentagon officials had allegedly confidentially asked the Baltic allies to tone down their rhetoric on Russia.

In an interview with Delfi, Michal said Estonia would continue to speak openly about the Russian threat and described Putin as “a dictator who kills women and children.” The Estonian prime minister argued that making concessions to dictators leads to humiliation and warned that Russia would continue its aggressive policy until it was forced to change course.

Michal said he had not personally received such a request from the United States and that the issue had not been discussed at his meeting with Donald Trump in Ankara. According to Reuters, Pentagon officials, including Elbridge Colby, conveyed similar messages to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania during recent bilateral meetings. The Pentagon and NATO did not comment on the private discussions.

The statements come amid a reassessment of the U.S. military presence in Europe and pressure for a greater European contribution to its own defense. Michal also expressed support for Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries and argued for continued support for Kyiv, as Western intelligence services warn of an intensification of sabotage activities attributed to Moscow.