Neeme Brus left no room for doubt: "We Balts never forgot what the Russians are capable of." Clad in a turquoise fleece and khaki coat, Brus explained why, at 66, after a career in journalism followed by another in the army, where he was a major, he came out of retirement to take up a post as a communications strategist with the Estonian Defense League.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, 4,000 volunteers have joined this organization, which was created in 1918 when the small Baltic state was born. Banned in 1940, it was resurrected in 1991, when Estonia, which now has a population of 1.3 million, regained its independence after more than five decades of Soviet occupation.

Of the league's 30,000 members, all of them civilians, a third belong to the country's territorial defense, whose sole raison d'être is to counter a possible Russian offensive. On January 15, center-right Prime Minister Kaja Kallas estimated that Europe and NATO had "three to five years" to prepare. In Estonia, where her popularity has been flagging due to her government's austerity policy and the scandal caused by her husband's business dealings in Russia, some thought her comments were exaggerations. All, however, agreed on one point: The Baltic state, which shares a 294-kilometer border with Russia, must be ready, even if the situation is calm for now.

"I haven't seen such a military vacuum on the other side of the border for 30 years," General Veiko-Vello Palm, the Estonian forces' number two, confirmed with a broad smile. Russian troops stationed just a few dozen kilometers from Estonia have been sent to Ukraine and "are dying there, which is very good for us." Things could change quickly, though, "if Russia manages to reach some kind of resolution in Ukraine, which would enable it to free up troops," noted the general. "It will take some time for Russia to rebuild its forces, but it could happen faster than some people imagine," he continued, pointing out that, for the Baltic States, "Russia has never stopped to be an existential threat."

Even before the start of the war in Ukraine, Estonia, a NATO member since 2004, was spending 2% of its GDP on defense. In February 2023, lawmakers decided to increase this level to at least 3% of GDP. It should reach 3.2% in 2024. Sporting a pin with the Ukrainian and Estonian flags on the lapel of his jacket, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur outlined three priorities: "We must increase our capabilities in munitions, air defense and long-range weaponry."

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