Putin Ramps Up Rhetoric Against Baltic States, Raising Concerns Over Future Escalations
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Putin is amplifying rhetoric against the Baltic states, potentially laying groundwork for future escalations against the NATO members.
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Putin claimed Latvia and others are "throwing out" ethnic Russians, referring to Latvia's new immigration laws requiring Russian residents to pass a Latvian language test.
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Putin said these immigration rules directly threaten Russia's national security.
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His rhetoric echoes statements made about Ukraine before Russia's invasion, though no indications of plans to attack Baltics soon.
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Undermining Baltic sovereignty fits Putin's goal of weakening NATO after failing to split alliance over Ukraine war.