Estonia expels Russian diplomat over ‘interference'
"The diplomat in question has been directly and actively involved in undermining the constitutional order and legal system of Estonia," Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a statement.
"The Russian embassy's ongoing interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Estonia must end and by expelling the diplomat, we are demonstrating that Estonia will not allow any actions orchestrated and organised by a foreign state on its territory," he added.
Tsahkna said the diplomat was "contributing to... crimes against the state, including several offences related to sanctions violations".
An Estonian citizen "has been convicted for carrying out these crimes", he added.
Russian foreign ministry deputy press and information director Alexey Fadeev responded to the incident.
"This is not the first such hostile action on the part of Estonia. I must say that we have already become accustomed to this," Fadeev was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency.
"We will provide a timely comment on what measures we will take in relation to Estonian diplomats," he added.
Tensions have escalated between the two countries since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Estonia has been a staunch ally of Kyiv since the war began.
Last month, the Estonian foreign ministry summoned the Russian charge d'affaires, as it said that a Russian border guard vessel breached its maritime border.
Last year, Estonia expelled another Russian diplomat on similar charges.
"The Russian embassy has interfered in the internal matters of Estonia in an unacceptable way," Tsahkna said at the time.
Russia has not had an ambassador in Tallinn since February 2023, when Estonia ordered Moscow's envoy to leave in a tit-for-tat move.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euractiv
2 hours ago
- Euractiv
EU disaster mechanism hits record wildfire activations as Europe keeps burning
The EU stands ready to help countries battling wildfires as its disaster response mechanism hits a record 16 activations this summer, the European Commission said on Thursday. The surge in requests puts the bloc on course for a record-breaking year for emergency deployments, as some of the most destructive wildfires in recent memory continue to rage across Southern Europe and the Balkans. So far, blazes driven by extreme heat, strong winds and, in some cases, arson have scorched around 440,000 hectares, according to Reuters . That is nearly twice the size of Luxembourg. Greece, Albania, Cyprus, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina have all sought help through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which has been in place since 2001 but has seen a sharp rise in use in recent years. On Wednesday, Spain activated the Civil Protection Mechanism for the first time to tackle forest fires, becoming the 16th activation this summer, Commission spokesperson Eva Hrncirova said. She added that this matches last year's total with weeks still to go. The system coordinates cross-border disaster relief and covers the transport and operational costs of deployments, though firefighting remains a national responsibility. 'I think the situation shows that we are able to act very swiftly and that we are able to cover the needs of the states that ask for help,' she said. 'It's up to the member states to take the right measures to prevent these man-made fires." But "we are here to coordinate and contribute as much as we can." The mechanism can also be activated by any country in the world, even international organisations. For example, earlier this summer, Italian, Cypriot and Croatian planes were deployed in Israel to get a wildfire under control. (mm)
Euractiv
4 hours ago
- Euractiv
Putin, Trump to discuss settling Ukraine conflict in talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump are to discuss ways to settle the Ukraine conflict during their landmark summit in Alaska on Friday, the Kremlin said. The meeting will be the first between sitting US and Russian presidents since 2021, and comes as Trump seeks to broker an end to Russia's nearly three-and-a-half-year offensive. "It is probably obvious to everyone that the central topic will be the resolution of the Ukraine crisis," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Thursday. "Of course, broader issues of ensuring peace and security, as well as pressing international and regional issues, will also be addressed," he added. The talks are scheduled to start in Alaska at 21.30 CET. These will be held "one-on-one" between Putin and Trump, with only their interpreters in attendance, Ushakov said. "This will be followed by negotiations between the delegations, which will continue over a working breakfast," Ushakov added. Among Russia's delegation will be Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and economic negotiator Kirill Dmitriev, Ushakov added. Putin and Trump will give a joint press conference following their meeting, during which they will "summarise the results of the negotiations," Ushakov said. This would be the first joint press conference between a US and Russian leader since 2018, when Putin met Trump in Helsinki. (mm)
Euractiv
5 hours ago
- Euractiv
The EU's moral collapse
Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff served as the European Union Representative to the occupied Palestinian territory, based in East Jerusalem, from January 2020 until his departure in July 2025. Prior to his role in Jerusalem, he served as a Senior Advisor on Mediation within the European External Action Service. The EU likes to think of itself as a normative power – a community of values, committed to upholding international law, promoting peace, protecting civilians, and building a rules-based global order. These are not just lofty ideals; they are enshrined in EU treaties and Council conclusions. But when it comes to the brutal destruction of Gaza and the continued occupation of Palestine, these principles seem to have become hollow rhetoric. Worse, they are being actively undermined by the craven inaction of the EU's institutions and the obstructionism of governments like Germany, Italy, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. While Germany undoubtedly has a historic responsibility to protect Jewish life and the security of the Jewish people, this does in no way justify placing Israeli government actions above international law. If the German government were serious about securing Israel's future and preventing another 7 October from happening, it would have to work tirelessly to end the occupation of Palestine and the ongoing military campaign in Gaza that, in my view, blatantly violates international humanitarian law. The European Commission has also been shamefully absent. Only as a result of recent pressure by many member states did it eventually propose the most tepid of measures by suspending access for Israeli SMEs under a dual-use innovation window of Horizon Europe. Even this minor proposal by the Commission is being blocked by spoiler governments. While tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians have reportedly been killed, maimed and starved, and nearly the entire population of Gaza displaced, the EU dithers. The ICJ has issued provisional measures towards Israel for what it sees as the risk of genocide in Gaza – warnings the Netanyahu government has flatly ignored – and declared that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The UN, human rights organisations, and many former Israeli top military and intelligence officials have sounded the alarm about Israel's actions in Gaza and its policies in the West Bank. The EU has ample tools at its disposal to pressure Israel to end its brutal war in Gaza, dismantle the occupation, and move towards a viable two-state solution, with an independent and democratic Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel. If the EU remains unable to muster political will for collective action, then the moral, political and legal burden falls on individual Member States. Countries like Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia have already taken encouraging steps in recognising the state of Palestine and demanding accountability. But much more is needed now. European countries that claim to support human rights and uphold international law must start acting within their own prerogatives to bring their influence to bear. For starters, this would mean u nilaterally suspending or revoking arms export licenses to Israel under their own national export control laws, including for dual-use equipment and technology. Individual countries can also stop funding national co-financed projects involving Israeli entities, or withdraw from joint research agreements with Israeli institutions. They can impose their own national sanctions regimes on human rights grounds, including visa bans and asset freezes. While some Nordic countries have such laws, others could use counterterrorism laws to freeze assets. S ettlement-linked companies can be excluded from public procurement and state investment funds. On top of this, state-owned enterprises or sovereign wealth funds can divest from settlement-linked companies, and national authorities can ban port calls or airspace use for Israeli military vessels and aircraft. Finally, member states with universal jurisdiction provisions can prosecute suspected Israeli and Palestinian war criminals if they enter their territory, or in some cases even in absentia. All member states are of course obliged to support the ICC in arrest warrants and investigations. Individual countries should establish coalitions of the willing that take matters into their own hands as long as the EU remains frozen. Europe's image as a principled, reliable, and rules-based actor is being destroyed – not by autocratic Russia and China, or other adversaries with dictatorial regimes, but by its own refusal to enforce international law when the perpetrator is an ally. At the heart of this disgraceful paralysis are governments that have chosen to side with impunity. The EU spoiler governments are not acting in the interest of peace between Israel and Palestine. They are undermining European unity and damaging the EU's global credibility and partnerships. They are also complicit in prolonging the suffering of millions of Palestinians, endangering Israel's security. The EU's inaction is not just a strategic blunder – it is an appalling moral failure as it enables Israel's impunity and entrenches a conflict that will continue to fuel instability, radicalisation, and despair for generations in the Middle East. Palestinians deserve freedom, dignity, and self-determination. Israelis deserve peace and security within internationally recognised borders. Both peoples deserve leaders – and international partners – who spare no effort in working towards peace and justice, not a never-ending cycle of violence and perpetual domination.
