President Trump is “a businessman, selling everything,” a Russian spokeswoman groused Wednesday after the U.S. hosted a White House summit with the heads of the Baltic states.
“Well, a businessman, selling everything,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters, per TASS, a state-run media outlet. “America makes profit and money, and what do Europeans get? Weapons? What for?”
Trump met with the presidents of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia on Tuesday for a summit marking the 100th anniversary of the Baltic nations’ independence. The three former Soviet satellite states remain worried about Russian aggression, despite their membership in NATO — especially following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and major military exercises on their borders.
“[Russia] knows it is ahead conventionally, at least in regions close to NATO’s territory,” Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid said at the Atlantic Council after Tuesday’s meeting with Trump. “It is already using different opportunities and hybrid possibilities to chip away at the feeling of security of people who live in NATO countries. We must stop it, and we must see through this game.”
Western analysts suspect Russia is contemplating an unconventional military campaign against Latvia, in particular. Such a conflict might build on brewing tensions in Latvia, where lawmakers are debating a bill to transition their education system “from mixed Latvian-Russian language instruction to Latvian-language based,” as the Institute for the Study of War noted in March.
“[T]he Kremlin is most likely to undertake a multifaceted approach, potentially including the use of irregular troops, if it chooses to escalate in Latvia rather than conduct a large-scale, short-notice conventional ground operation,” ISW analysts suggested. “Latvia’s Security Police warned on March 19 that Russian intelligence services continue to pose a ‘significant threat’ to Latvia and are continuing their efforts to recruit Latvians and infiltrate key Latvian government institutions.
“Signs of the Kremlin’s accelerating campaign to destabilize Latvia could include large-scale protests, sudden attacks on Russian-language speakers, and cyberattacks.”
Trump agreed “to provide nearly $100 million for procurement of large-caliber ammunition and over $70 million in training and equipping programs” to the Baltic countries, according to the White House, in addition to a “periodic deployment” of American troops to the NATO countries.
“We continue to explore new ideas and opportunities, including air defense, bilaterally and in NATO, to enhance deterrence across the region,” the White House declaration added.
Russian officials maintain that such support is provocative.
“On the one hand, weapons are supplied, and on the other – parties are constantly set against each other, in particular European countries,” Zakharova said. “What can it lead to? History has different answers to this question.”
