Estonian dispute looms over EU-Russia Summit[fr][de] 

The confrontation between Estonia and Russia has escalated in recent days, with Russia threatening to cut oil supplies to Estonia and violent protests of pro-Kremlin activists at the Estonian embassy in Moscow. 

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet has asked that the upcoming EU-Russia Summit, due to take place on 18 May, be "seriously considered" being called off.

In a statement on 1 May 2007, Paet said: "The EU is under attack, because Russia is attacking Estonia." He added: "EU-Russia relations have entered a very complicated situation."

According to diplomatic sources, Estonia is also threatening to block EU negotiations for a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with Russia, already the second country to veto the talks following the Polish meat row.

However, a German Presidency spokesperson told EurActiv that the EU-Russia Summit would not be postponed.

The Commission said that a decision to raise the issue at the EU-Russia Summit would depend on the development of the current situation.

Following an attack by protesters on Estonian Ambassador Marina Kaljurand in Moscow on 2 May 2007, the EU stepped in to demonstrate its solidarity.

Commission spokesperson Christiane Hohmann said: "We share the concerns about the increasing violence around the Estonian embassy in Moscow and we strongly urge the Russian authorities to implement their obligations under the Vienna Convention for diplomatic relations."

Hohmann further said that a diplomatic demarche from the EU was under way on this issue, demanding Russian authorities ensure the security of diplomats in Moscow. She added that the Commission hopes that the issue will be solved through dialogue between the Estonian and Russian authorities.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities are putting the blame on the Estonian side. Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin told Interfax: "The flame of passions and civil society’s reaction in Russia were provoked by the actions from the Estonian side."

The tensions between the two countries rose following a relocation of a Soviet-era war memorial statue (see EurActiv, 5 April 2007).