Toomas Ilves, former president of Estonia, talks about building up Estonia's tech sector, getting Estonia into NATO, and watching Russia grow more aggressive from a small Baltic country. He discusses Estonia's digital revolution, the Tiger Leap program, and the strategic decision to join the EU to gain entry into NATO. Ilves also explores the defensibility of Ukraine and Georgia and argues against expanding NATO to these countries. He highlights the lack of support given to Ukraine during the invasion and reveals how Estonia became a global leader in IT and digitization.
Estonia's digital revolution, known as the Tiger Leap, propelled the country ahead in internet access, e-commerce, and open government.
Estonia strategically joined the European Union to gain NATO membership, highlighting the different views on Russia between Western and Eastern Europe.
Deep dives
The Tiger Leap: Estonia's Digital Transformation
Former Estonian President Tomás Hendrik Ilves explains how Estonia, a tiny country recovering from Soviet rule, embraced a digital revolution known as the Tiger Leap. Ilves advocated for teaching kids computer skills, despite initial resistance. By 1998, all Estonian schools had computer labs and internet access. The digital transformation propelled Estonia ahead in internet access, e-commerce, and open government. Ilves also highlights the ongoing threat from Russia and the importance of Western support for Ukraine.
Joining EU as a Backdoor to NATO
Ilves discusses Estonia's strategy to gain NATO membership by joining the European Union first. Germany, France, UK, and Italy were reluctant to accept former Soviet Union countries into NATO. By joining the EU, Estonia ensured Germany couldn't veto their NATO entry. Ilves emphasizes the different views of Russia between Western and Eastern Europe and the continued political tension. He argues that bringing Ukraine into NATO would enhance Western security and make Russia harder to defend against.
The Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine
Ilves expresses concern over the Western response to the invasion of Ukraine. He criticizes the delay in providing military assistance and calls for stronger support, including the provision of medium-range missiles to Ukraine. Ilves emphasizes the risks of war fatigue in Central and Eastern European countries and the challenges of hosting Ukrainian refugees. He also voices worries about the US presidential election and expresses the importance of small countries excelling in specific areas to maximize their global influence.
As the former president of Estonia, Toomas Henrik Ilves has a unique perspective on Russian aggression. Though he grew up in the United States, he moved back to Estonia and got into politics, helping to lead a technological revolution that has given them a unique advantage for a country of only 1.3 million inhabitants. He talks to Paul about building up his country’s tech sector, pushing to get Estonia into NATO, and what it’s like watching from a small, Baltic country as Russia grows more aggressive.
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