Estonian defmin: Military aggression against NATO cannot be ruled out

• Published date: 17 May 2022
• Publication title: LETA

Answering questions from lawmakers in the Riigikogu on Monday, Estonia's Minister of Defense Kalle Laanet said that military aggression against NATO cannot be ruled out.

"We all know that the transatlantic security situation has fundamentally changed. Russia's war in Ukraine and threats against NATO allies demonstrate that military aggression against NATO cannot be ruled out," the minister explained.

According to Laanet, NATO heads of state and government have agreed that the long-term threat by Russia requires a more resolute strengthening of NATO's collective defense with an emphasis on the Baltic states and the eastern flank of the alliance. NATO has already more than doubled its military presence in Estonia and the other Baltic states. As of today, close to 2,000 allied soldiers are stationed in Tapa and Amari.

"These decisions have been timely and necessary, but Russia's aggressiveness and military threat require more from both Estonia and the allies. That is why we need to move from the current deterrence posture to a posture of strengthened defense. This could convince Russia that any military attack on NATO is doomed to fail from the outset," said the minister of defense.

Laanet explained that Estonia has made a proposal to the allies to establish in Estonia a command element for a division-sized unit in the NATO chain of command, which would include Estonia's own units and the allied units stationed in Estonia, including the UK, France, Denmark and, of course, the reinforcement units in the highest status of readiness assigned here for a time of crisis.

The Estonian government is ready to invest in the further development of allied-related infrastructure, both individually and together with the allies. Consultations between the allies are taking place from April to June and will culminate at the NATO summit in Madrid on June 29-30.

"This certainly requires serious explanatory work among our allies by the members of our government, not only by the minister of defense, but also, first and foremost, by the prime minister and the foreign minister, and also, of course, by other ministers. I myself, as well as the foreign minister and the prime minister, have a very intense schedule of visits in place to our allies to explain our new concept and our defense posture to them," Laanet said.

As a second dimension, the minister of defense highlighted the need to strengthen Estonia's independent defense capability. Due to the sharply aggravated security situation...