Childish Russia

I have previously here noted the fact that the border treaty between Estonia and Russia was finally signed on May 18.

But that wasn’t the end of the story. Now, new problems have appeared on the horizon, and Russia has suddenly said that they will not submit the treaty to their Duma for ratification.

The reason is that when the Estonian parliament ratified the treaty, it also adopted a declaration that includes an indirect reference to the Soviet occupation of the Baltic nation.

This declaration, said the Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, “contains unacceptable statements ... that create a falsified context” for the treaties.

This is – to use an undiplomatic expression – childish of Russia. They know that there is no way either the Baltic states or the rest of the world will back off from the historical truth of the occupation by Stalin of these three nations.

To refuse to ratify a border treaty with member countries of the European Union with this is a pretext is hardly a sign of political maturity in a modern Europe.