Last week, the Baltic Sentinel wrote that former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg (2014–2024) "betrayed" the Baltic States in 2021 in an article reviewing his book.

The outlet's Editor in Chief Meelis Oidsalu, a former deputy secretary general of the Estonian Ministry of Defense, highlighted a section about Stoltenberg's willingness to discuss the creation of a "buffer zone" with Russia despite opposition from the Baltic states and Poland.

The topic arose during Mihkelson's interview on "Vikerhommik" on Monday morning. He did not agree with Oidsalu's interpretation.

"If we think about what the limits of power of a NATO secretary general are, and in general the possibility of agreeing on anything behind the backs of member states, especially when we have in mind our common adversary and enemy Russia, then I do not see that there is any need to create an impression that something has been done behind our backs in a way that would harm our security," Mihkelson told the show.

He added that the NATO secretary general is, above all, a chairman of meetings. It is the ambassadors of the member states and the member states themselves who make the decisions.

"I have also read Stoltenberg's book and have some knowledge of what happened in 2021. The fact that Stoltenberg, by nature, has always tried to maintain good dialogue with the Russians and believed that this helps to ease tensions when they arise is nothing new," the Riigikogu member said.

Mihkelson said Stoltenberg had very naive views of Russia during his time as prime minister of Norway, even though the war in Georgia had already taken place.

"So in that sense, there is nothing surprising. He has maintained this line up to the times when it was still possible to speak of even a formal dialogue with Russia," he added.

Russian attack is not inevitable

The MP also pointed out problems with the "Narva is next" narrative and the "Narva People's Republic", which he said is a massive information operation by Russia.

"Here we ourselves must be active in our allies' capitals and also in the media space, and not contribute to creating an impression that an attack against the Baltic states is almost inevitable. And that if the Baltic states are left to their fate, then perhaps others will get off lightly. This is a narrative from Russia that is being pushed, as if the Baltic states are not really NATO. That if a war were to come in this region, then it would not be a war between NATO and Russia," he said.

Mihkelson added that this is an area where more attention must be paid so that Estonia does not end up in a state of conceptual isolation.

The MP said it should not be forgotten that Russia's main strategic objective in a war against Europe is the destruction of NATO.

"And they are trying to do this in every possible way with our own hands. That we ourselves would dismantle it, that we would turn against allies and against each other. And make the credibility of Article Five, that is the collective defense clause, close to zero," he outlined.

War in Iran

Mihkelson also commented on why some NATO member states did not allow the United States Air Force to use bases located in their countries to attack Iran or to overfly their airspace.

The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee said work must be done to ensure that the alliance space remains united.

"On the one hand, we can say that the United States did not act toward its allies in a way of saying, I have such a plan, let's do it together or come and help. On the other hand, the decisions that several European allies have made, whether in terms of closing airspace or prohibiting the use of airfields, cannot really be considered justified in terms of the benefit that they ultimately brought. The United States will continue its operation one way or another, but with greater costs and greater damage for the alliance space," Mihkelson said.

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