Estonia’s foreign minister says the Baltics have 3 or 4 years to prepare for Russian ‘test’ of NATO

By VANESSA GERA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Estonia’s foreign minister says NATO has about three or four years to strengthen its defenses as Russian President Vladimir Putin ramps up his country’s “war machine.” The minister spoke during a visit to Poland. He says Estonia doesn’t view Russia as an immediate threat because it’s busy with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But Estonia estimates it could take “three to four years” for Russia to prepare what the minister called a “test for NATO.” Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia are considered among the most likely targets if Russia decides to risk an attack on the military alliance.