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Arne O. Holm comments:
A Brutal Truth, But a Truth Nonetheless
Comment: With unusual clarity, Estonian Jonatan Vseviov recently explained what is at stake in Ukraine: The choice is between a free Ukraine integrated into Europe or a country and an army subordinated to an imperialist, warlike Russia.
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This is a comment written by a member of the editorial staff. All views expressed are the writer's own.
The statement came during an interview with High North News during the Kirkenes Conference in May.
Jonatan Vseviov is Secretary General of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and knows what he is talking about.
In the fall of 1944, the Red Army moved into Estonia and occupied the country until they reached independence in August 1991. From there, the road was short to NATO and EU membership, a market economy and democracy.
"They helped save my country", says Vseviov about the EU and NATO.
"The alternative would be chaos."
The threat from the US requires a new NATO strategy
If Russia succeeds
If Russia succeeds in its war of aggression against Ukraine, the Ukrainian defense will become part of the Russian threat to other European countries.
It is a brutal truth, but a truth nonetheless.
And right now, Donald Trump and the United States are Putin's closest allies in achieving his imperialist goals.
American support for Europe and Ukraine is being withdrawn, while the country attacks Venezuela and Iran, threatens Greenland, contributes to Israel's many wars in the Middle East, and starves the Cuban people.
It is not only a breach with America's traditional allies. It is also a breach with the values that, if not without exception, have characterized Western defense cooperation.
But Putin also has allies in Europe, in the form of far-right parties. Their chances of winning elections vary from country to country, not least because of different electoral systems. But the chance exists.
The alternative would be chaos
In Canada, too, the significance of the new US foreign and security policy is having political consequences. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand recently argued on X for a stronger Arctic strategy in NATO.
Demands from Canada
In an interview with High North News, Canadian professor and political scientist Rob Huebert points out that this is not only due to the threat from Russia.
"Canada is calling for a NATO strategy for the Arctic mainly because of the upheaval and threat posed by the Trump administration's policies", says the researcher.
He points in particular to Trump's threats against both Canada and Greenland/Denmark.
These are the threats that the European NATO countries and Canada face if Ukraine were to lose.
These are the threats that must be decisive for our efforts to save Ukraine.
