Text Machteld van Kempen
WUR is incredibly diverse, with hundreds of internationals working and studying here. In the Meanwhile In column, we ask one of them to comment on events in their home country. This time, Master’s student Anett (23) talks about the rising tensions between Russia and Estonia.
‘Right now, tensions with Russia feel worse than ever, especially since Trump got elected. His private discussions with Putin have made many of us uneasy. This is why our military budget has grown: we now have one of the highest per capita in Europe. I also feel like divisions are growing at home. Some Russian-speaking citizens are openly pro-Putin, which I find very unsettling because they won’t fight for Estonia.
‘I was born in a free Estonia, but at school we did learn about the Soviet occupation.* And this reality — and the threat of occupation again — still lives with us: military service is mandatory for men and even I had a week of training in high school, with basic shooting, survival and first aid. Most homes still have emergency supplies. My grandma always used to say, “Go to Finland if war breaks out.” That kind of preparedness is normal in Estonia. People from older generations like my grandmother remember what it was like before independence. She knew people who were deported to Siberia, for example. Even if I’ve never lived under occupation, the fear is inherited. It’s still somewhere, quietly crippling. Today, some of my friends who are ready to start families are hesitating. Estonia is a great place to raise children, but with our “lovely neighbour” we wonder: should we wait, move or risk it?
‘Living in the Netherlands now, I see how different other people’s experience of war is. Most other Europeans don’t worry daily or keep food stocked. For us, fear is always present. NATO gives hope, but some doubt remains. Would other NATO countries really risk war for us? If Russia wins even a piece of Ukraine, what’s next?
‘I love Estonia, but I’m not a fighter. If a war broke out, I would want to help with aid or support, but I’m not the one who’s going to save the country. I’m too afraid to die. That feeling of wanting to run is hard, but it’s survival, not disloyalty. These are scary times. Still, I try to stay hopeful. I have to.’
* Estonia was occupied by Russia in the 1940s and regained independence in 1991.
