"In the world of security, I consider us allies, but the alliance comes with a caveat, which I described in my speech [given in Tartu on the eve of Estonian Independence Day]: MAGA rhetoric, or putting oneself first, closing borders and such simple, conservative solutions have entered into Estonian politics through Isamaa and EKRE and, to some extent, through the Center Party," said Michal, in response to a question about whether the Reform Party is pro-European or pro-American.

"We definitely have good official relations between our two countries. We are good allies and we are valued there. But when it comes to American messages, for example about freedom of speech, where they themselves rank between 50th and 60th place [in the world], and we are in around first, second, or third place – we have no problem with freedom of speech – we certainly do not need to listen to those lessons," Michal explained.

"Secondly, with regard to respect for human rights and personal rights – for example, the same kind of conservative view that we see in the United States, where there is a very heated debate about a woman's right to decide over her own body – we certainly will not be adopting that. So, we will definitely not be adopting this MAGA ideology which reaches us primarily through Isamaa, through EKRE and through the Center Party," the prime minister said.

"The Reform Party is Western-oriented in nature, supports a strong Europe and good transatlantic relations, but we definitely have to distinguish this from the MAGA ideology – it is certainly not the dominant ideology here in Europe, or in Estonia," Michal emphasized.

The PM confirmed that Estonia's relations with the United States when it comes to security are good and expressed his willingness to come to the aid of the U.S. if it needs assistance.

"On the issue of Iran, we are definitely in communication with the United States, the countries in the region and European countries. And if the United States asks for or needs our help, we will definitely help, there is no question about that," he said.

Michal also recalled U.S. President Donald Trump's promise at last year's NATO summit in The Hague that if the allies themselves contribute to their own defense, Washington will also stand behind the alliance.

According to Michal, that stance was confirmed by Trump's promise to defend the Baltic countries and Poland after an incident in which Russian fighter jets violated Estonian airspace last September.

"So, in the security sphere, we offer each other security guarantees. We also have a certain number of capabilities that our allies use in our country. However, if help is needed, if there is something we can contribute, then we will definitely consider it and try to help," Michal said.

When asked about the validity of international law in today's world, Michal replied that he does not believe it has lost its meaning. However, he recalled that in the past, the great powers have nevertheless sought to gain broader support for their actions.

"International law is a rather complex discipline. I studied it at school and can describe it as definitely having certain turning points. But I would still say that law as such is not going anywhere. It will not lose its significance even if something happens differently at different times in history," said the prime minister.

"Ultimately, everything is assessed in time. But what I would say about the intersection of politics and law is that, at least in the Western world, it used to be customary, and (former Estonian Prime Minister) Siim Kallas has also explained this, for the United States, for example, which is currently acting as a hegemon in our world, to seek greater legitimacy for operations of this kind. As Siim Kallas explained it, the American president would call the Estonian prime minister."

Michal nevertheless confirmed that he supports the move for regime change in both Venezuela and Iran. "It's just that these operations should be carried out in such a way as to seek broader support," he emphasized.

"As you are aware, I do not necessarily condemn this. In my opinion, if additional security is created by Putin's circle of friends shrinking, should we be sad about that? I don't think so. However, once again, the ideal situation would still be if such steps were preceded or accompanied by a search for greater legitimacy and a joint understanding of these processes."

---

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!