Estonia plans to build US backed air force training center

  • 2014-12-02
  • From wire reports, TALLINN

(photo: creative commons)

Estonia will push forward with plans to build a US backed air force training center, Estonia's first female foreign minister announced today. 

Pentus Rosimannus met with US secretary of state John Kerry in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss security measures in the region.

"We greatly appreciate the solidarity of the USA with its allies," Pentus-Rosimannus said, adding that for Estonia, continued US presence and visibility in the Baltic region was the key security guarantee amid the Ukraine crisis.

"Estonia will continue to cooperate with the US authorities in order to create an Air Force Training Centre in Ämari, which will open new opportunities for exercises and improve the Air Forces of the region," said the minister.

The proposal to establish a training center in Estonia was made by President Obama during his visit to Estonia in September.

The foreign ministers spoke of implementing the NATO Wales summit decisions, bilateral relations of Estonia and the USA, cyber security cooperation and joint development projects.

Pentus-Rosimannus and Kerry also discussed the situation in Ukraine and relations with Russia.

(Edited by Rayyan Sabet-Parry)