Ēķis: Baltic states must be ready for possible Russian provocations
On the TV24 show “Preses klubs,” producer Andrejs Ēķis warned that the Baltic states should be prepared for possible provocations, pointing to recent drone incidents across Europe. He said countries often hesitate to react sharply because the consequences of doing so are unclear.
Speaking on the TV24 programme “Preses klubs,” producer and director Andrejs Ēķis said the Baltic states need to be prepared for possible provocations from Russia, commenting on the growing number of drone incidents reported across Europe recently.
Ēķis said such incidents could be used to stir public unease and to test how countries respond to unclear situations.
A pattern of diversion
According to Ēķis, Russia has historically followed a pattern of creating a new problem elsewhere whenever difficulties arise in one place, in order to divert attention and try to influence the original situation. As an example, he pointed to drone incidents at European airports, which raise public questions about flight safety and whether similar incidents could occur elsewhere.
For this reason, Ēķis said, the Baltic states should not be caught off guard if some form of provocation occurs in the future. “We must be ready to survive some kind of provocation,” he said on the programme.
Reluctance to respond
Ēķis also referred to Poland, which has been actively strengthening its defence capabilities in recent years. He noted that even countries with substantial military resources do not always want to find themselves having to decide on a very sharp response to an unclear incident.
Explaining this hesitation, Ēķis used a figurative expression, saying countries are reluctant to "touch" such murky and ambiguous situations, since it is not clear what consequences a decisive reaction might trigger.
