Kallas at the Tapa Army Base: The strength of the Estonian Defence Forces and cooperation with NATO allies is the foundation of our security

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who visited the army base, met with Lieutenant Colonel Mart Sirel, Chief of Staff of the 1st Infantry Brigade, who gave an overview of the brigade’s daily activities and cooperation with allies.
In addition, Kallas met with members of the Estonian Defence Forces as well as soldiers serving in NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP). Representatives of the units of the United States, France and the United Kingdom presented the activities of the allies aimed at strengthening deterrence in Estonia.
The Prime Minister thanked both the Defence Forces servicemen and the soldiers of the allies for their contribution to ensuring Estonia’s security.

“This week marks the 20th anniversary of Estonia’s accession to NATO, which has given us the certainty that we will never be alone again,” said Kallas to the allied forces. “Our military defence capabilities have evolved very rapidly in recent years and have adapted significantly to the changed security environment. Estonia’s alliance is stronger than ever, and the presence of NATO in the Baltics and in all Nordic countries gives us the confidence in maintaining our sense of security in times of peace and crisis. We are very grateful to our allies for this readiness and cooperation.”

The Prime Minister emphasised that in the changed security situation, we cannot try to save money on security, and increasing defence spending and defence capabilities is a joint effort that Estonia, NATO and the European Union must make.

“Estonia is a strong and reliable partner, and from this year onwards we’ll invest 3.2 per cent of our GDP in national defence,” she said. “We clearly see the need for all allies to step up their defence investment to at least 2% of GDP, and there is no time to waste. In a changed world, we need to be confident, focus on solutions and take tough decisions when necessary, and maintain the unity that is the essence of NATO.”

Lieutenant Colonel Mart Sirel, Chief of Staff of the 1st Infantry Brigade, who hosted the Prime Minister and the ambassadors of the allied stated, said that Estonia’s independent defence capability and NATO’s collective defence are the pillars that aim to deter aggression and protect Estonia’s territory from the very first centimetre. “Maintaining and developing the combat capabilities of the Defence Forces is our daily contribution to ensuring that the Estonian people are protected at home and our state is safe and secure,” said Lieutenant Colonel Mart Sirel. “Today, we stand here together with our NATO allies, who are helping us to achieve the goals we’ve been assigned, so that Estonia’s border remains secure.” 1.

Estonia joined NATO on 29 March 2004. Today, there are about 2,000 allied troops from six different countries serving in Estonia.

The Prime Minister will continue the day with a visit to Rapla County, during which she will meet local residents, businesses and leaders.

Gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBiQe2