Putin Is Trying To 'Boil Europe Like A Frog', Warns Estonian Minister

Vladimir Putin is trying to “boil Europe” like a frog, according to the Estonian government. 

Margus Tsahkna, Estonia’s foreign minister, told Sky News that Russia has been testing European unity with low-level attacks for years – and urged allies to up the ante against Moscow.

Speaking to Mornings with Ridge and Frost, Tsahkna said Russia did not appear to be preparing for a full-scale offensive on Europe or Nato.

But he warned the growing number of “terror or sabotage” attacks from Russia must be addressed.

He said: “We cannot just ignore them and say this is just an incident or hybrid attack.

“These are the attacks that are not reaching Article 5 level, but we need to attribute these actions publicly to Russia because our people should know Russia is acting very aggressively already.”

Article 5 is the Nato principle which says an attack on any member state is an attack on all.

Ukraine is not a Nato member and the defence alliance has been careful to avoid being dragged into a direct conflict with Russia – while still supporting Kyiv.

But, Estonia has accused Russia of guiding drones into Nato airspace in an apparent provocation.

Tsahkna said: “They are turning on the heat, trying to boil Europe as a frog over the years.

“And then testing and dividing our unity as a society, and as organisations like Nato or EU.”

The Estonian minister said Europe should use the money from frozen Russian assets to further bolster the Ukrainian war efforts.

His alarming words come as Russia increases the intensity of its strikes against Ukraine while winter approaches.

More than four years after Putin first invaded his European neighbour in a land grab, the Russian leader continues to send his troops to the frontline – often described as a “meat grinder” – while also dragging his heels in negotiations.

A Russian strike on buses killed 30 people in eastern Ukraine overnight, while assaults on Ukrainian energy supplies have triggered worsening blackouts across the beleaguered country.

Meanwhile, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said the war is at a dangerous stalemate as the Trump administration fails to secure any kind of compromise from Moscow.

He told reporters on Thursday: “We’d love to see a negotiated settlement to this war that is permanent, enduring, and fair. And that’s what we’re committed to continuing to do.”

However, he said escalations could spark a wider conflict. He noted: “That escalation could wind up being a sabotage campaign in neighbouring countries that are members of Nato.”

He warned other elements could “quickly turn what is a war between two countries into a much broader and far more dangerous regional conflict.”

Rubio added: “This war needs to end in a negotiated settlement. The sooner, the better. The United States stands ready to facilitate that. We have tried. We will continue to try. But we’re also not going to invest in pointless processes if we can’t make progress.”

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