Don’t try to ‘please the dictator,’ Estonian leader urges Europe about Putin

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal urged Europe to stop trying to appease Vladimir Putin and instead tighten sanctions to suffocate Moscow's war effort, in remarks to POLITICO. Michal framed the choice as negotiating with the Kremlin versus squeezing its economy, arguing that concessions only invite further demands from the Russian president. The intervention comes as European capitals debate the next round of sanctions and the continent's long-term posture toward Moscow. Estonia, which spends more than 3% of GDP on defense, has been among the hardest-line EU members on Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Watch whether Michal's push shapes the scope of the EU's next sanctions package and how firmly leaders commit to sustained economic pressure over diplomacy.