Estonia is a small country on the Baltic Sea coast, with an area of only 45,300 square kilometers and a population of approximately 1.369 million. However, Estonia's geographical location is very important, as it can block Russia's access to the Baltic Sea from St. Petersburg. Map of Estonia in the 18th century Historically, Estonia was merely a geographic term for a long time and was successively ruled by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Kingdom of Sweden. In 1721, after Peter the Great defeated the Kingdom of Sweden, Estonia came under the rule of the Tsarist Russian Empire. During the later stages of World War I, Germany effectively controlled Estonia. After the war ended, Estonia gained independence but briefly joined the Soviet Union. Later, with intervention from countries such as Britain, France, and Poland, Estonia regained its independence. In August 1940, Estonia officially joined the Soviet Union. In 1941, Estonia surrendered to Germany. In 1944, the Soviet Union liberated Estonia. In 1991, Estonia broke away from the Soviet Union and regained independence. It can be seen that throughout history, Estonia has been alternately ruled by surrounding great powers, with the longest period under the Tsarist Russian Empire, nearly two centuries. Map of Estonia The unique experiences have shaped Estonia's special ethnic composition. Estonians account for about 68% of the total population, Russians for around 25%, with others including Ukrainians, Poles, Swedes, Germans, etc. Due to its proximity to East Prussia, Estonians are closer to the Germanic people than to the Russians. Estonia is a member of NATO and also a member of the European Union. Due to historical conflicts with Russia, Estonia has actively participated in the Ukraine-Russia conflict and is one of the NATO members with the strongest stance against Russia. After the outbreak of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas made many tough speeches, claiming that Russia must be defeated. Now serving as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kallas is among the EU's top leaders and has taken an even tougher stance against Russia. Recently, Estonia plans to establish a new military base near the Russian border, where NATO troops can be invited to station, posing a threat to Russia's western region. According to a report by Russia's Sputnik News on April 23, Major General Vahur Karus, Chief of Staff of the Estonian Defense Forces, stated that Estonia plans to build a military base in Narva, which borders Russia, to accommodate about 250 soldiers. Estonian soldier Estonia has only about 7,700 soldiers nationwide, barely enough to form an operational brigade. Such a small army clearly cannot ensure Estonia's security. As a neighboring country of Russia, Estonia assumes that with NATO's support, it can act recklessly without fear of Russia. However, Estonia's actions are very dangerous, with Ukraine being a cautionary tale. In the event of a conflict, a single Russian tank division could occupy Estonia, and by then NATO would not have time to respond. NATO will not engage in a nuclear war with Russia over Estonia; NATO only protects American security and will not become a tool for European countries to drag the United States into a war with Russia. Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7496488695495737890/ Disclaimer: The article expresses the views of the author alone. Feel free to express your attitude by clicking the "Like/Dislike" buttons below.