The Estonian Defence Minister, Hanno Pevkur, discussed deeper cooperation with the US and NATO and support for Ukraine during his meeting with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in Washington. In an interview with the ERR press agency, Pevkur emphasised that the presence of the United States in the Baltic countries would deter Russia. He also mentioned that an increase in the production of the US defence industry would allow Estonia to purchase the ammunition it needs with the raised taxes. Furthermore, Pevkur highlighted that NATO’s overall defence costs must rise as the capability needs require additional funding.
“At the NATO summit here two weeks ago, the allies’ unity and strength was evident, which is also reflected in the bilateral defence cooperation between Estonia and the US,” Pevkur remarked after the meeting with the US Defence Secretary.
“I am very pleased that Defence Secretary Austin has reaffirmed the long-standing presence of American troops in Estonia. The next step is to define precise aspects of the US military presence in Estonia in the coming years. Our definite wish is to increase the amount of locally available long-range ammunition,” Pevkur told journalists in Washington.
Pevkur stated that Estonia greatly values the United States’ strategic measures in recent years, particularly the continuous presence of US troops in the Baltic States and their integration into NATO’s regional defence plans.
“Now we must build on what we have already achieved and undertake further joint efforts to convincingly deter Russia: not just by words, but by deeds. This means, in particular, accelerating the development of such critical capabilities as anti-air defence and indirect fire, as well as replenishing the ammunition stocks.”
“We also intend to prioritise US financial security assistance for the coming years. The Baltic Security Initiative has been a great support to us. Still, given Russia’s military aggressiveness, it is necessary to find ways to increase this assistance in cooperation with the US Congress, making deterrence of Russia even more effective,“ added Defence Minister Pevkur.
The defence ministers also discussed defence spending, with Estonia arguing that 2% of the GDP is not enough to meet the new capability targets.
“For the 2025 summit in The Hague, we should review the agreement on defence spending confirmed at the Vilnius Summit and agree on a more ambitious target, such as 2.5% or 3% of the GDP. We need strong US leadership to achieve this,” explained Minister Pevkur.
In line with President Biden’s pledge at the Madrid Summit, US military units deployed in Estonia have been continuously rotating since 2022. Currently, there is a HIMARS unit in Tapa and an infantry battalion in Võru. The rotation is intended to support the Estonian Defence Forces’ training and expedite the addressing of capability gaps.
The Estonian Defence Minister told ERR that the two heads of defence focused on bilateral relations.
“What is the presence of the United States of America in Estonia, and how are their forces integrated into Estonia’s defence plan and thus into NATO’s defence plan?” Pevkur highlighted.
