Baltics count on additional cooperation for defense

At a meeting in Tallinn on May 26, Minister of Defense of Estonia Sven Mikser, Minister of Defense of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis and Minister of National Defense of Lithuania Juozas Olekas agreed on a new instrument for Baltic defense cooperation - a large-scale Allied air defense exercise in the Baltic skies, said Lithuania's Ministry of Defense, reports ELTA.

The ministers agreed that a new cooperation initiative would enhance NATO visibility in the region and the Baltic States' capacity to render host national support for the allied capabilities deployed in their territories, as well as provide additional training opportunity for the Allied forces.

The ministers assessed the security situation in the Baltic region as tense because of the military exercises by the Russian Federation persistently ongoing in the Baltic neighborhood, the increased military activity in Kaliningrad, and information operations directed against the Baltic States, NATO and the European Union.

At the meeting the significance of NATO's contribution to ensuring security in the region was highlighted and it was agreed the Baltic States had to strive for a permanent presence of Allied forces in the region.

According to Minister Olekas, NATO responds to the mentioned threats by deploying additional capabilities to the Baltic region, thus demonstrating Alliance solidarity and commitment to respond to the changed security situation.