TALLINN, Estonia
Since late 2023, there have been reports of nearly a dozen underwater cables being severed in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. While Russia is a key suspect, Tsahkna noted that pinpointing a definitive culprit is challenging. Over 14 individuals associated with Russia’s alleged “shadow fleet” have been detained. Additionally, an act of sabotage is believed to have been orchestrated by China.
President Donald Trump had a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican, marking their first encounter since their Oval Office disagreement earlier in the year.
In response to the cable disruptions, NATO deployed warships off the Estonian coast in January. Since their deployment, there have been no further incidents of cable damage reported, according to officers on board two ships in the Gulf of Finland during a visit from Fox.
When asked about the prospects of a ceasefire and eventual end of hostilities in Ukraine, Tsahkna replied with a warning:
“President Trump has said very clearly that he wants to have peace. The Ukraine [sic] people want to have a [sic] peace — and I think that this is something that Putin doesn’t want.”
Tsahkna does not believe Putin would ever use nuclear weapons, calling such a move “political suicide.”
“He’s just brutal, but also sometimes, from the Western part of the world, we are too weak,” Tsahkna added. “Putin is playing with our fears.”
