Estonia suggests responding to Zapad-2009 with NATO drills

The President of Estonia expressed his concern over Russian-Belarusian military exercise.

“The protection of the airspace over the Baltic region is a visible and necessary measure, but it would be good, while Russia holds land-based drills involving over 20,000 personnel near NATO borders, to conduct similar exercises of the alliance's Ground Forces in this region," president of Estonia Hendrik Ilves said, Korrespondent.net reports.

In his opinion, one shouldn’t be too optimistic about reset policy in relations with Russia.

“Taking into account Russia’s actions in recent years, for example aggression in Georgia, gas wars against Ukraine and other neighbours, and the above mentioned Russia’s drills close to its western borders, we shouldn’t be too optimistic in terms of the so called reset policy,” the Estonian president said.

He thinks the western countries should be friendlier with Moscow, but must hold together. “The western countries, including Estonia, should be on friendly terms with Russia, be open and ready for cooperation, but remain solid, consistent and honest. Only this can lead us to the desired result,” Ilves noted.

We remind that Russian-Belarusian joint military exercise Zapad-2009 was held in Belarus on September 18–29. The drills involved 12,500 soldiers of the two countries, 40 aircrafts and 200 units of military equipment.