Paet: Obama Visit Will Not Change Estonian-Russian Relations
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said the visit of the US President Barack Obama, to Tallinn on Wednesday will not change relations with Russia.
"I see Obama's visit as a great act of friendliness in Estonian-American relations. I don't see that it should change our relations with Russia. It's significant that in general, there was little talk of the US visit in the Russian media. That shows that those in power in Russia still don't want the public there to hear the messages that Obama speaks," Paet said on ETV on Wednesday night.
"I don't see that it could affect our relations with Russia in any way, as presidents go on visits - that is something presidents do."
Estonia was the 46th foreign country that President Obama has visited. At the same point of his two-term tenure, President Bill Clinton had visited 53, while George W. Bush had visited 34.
Regarding the news on Wednesday of a possible movement toward ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Paet said: "It would all be very well if the peace treaty came, as everyone is waiting for the bloodshed to end. Today's news was part of the same series that Russia is distancing itself from the conflict, saying that it can't ensure a truce as it isn't a party to the conflict."
He said no ceasefire was possible until Russia admitted its part in the conflict.