Estonian defmin in Washington: NATO is very important for US

TALLINN - NATO plays a crucial role for the United States, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said during a visit to Washington alongside his Baltic counterparts.

"NATO is very important to the United States, as shown by the decision at the recent summit in The Hague to raise allied defense spending to 5 percent. The United States played a significant leadership role in that decision," Pevkur said after the meeting. "From our perspective, continuing the excellent cooperation to date is essential. US units train in Estonia fully integrated with our defense forces. Our military cooperation with the United States is mutually beneficial and of a very high standard."

"The presence of US forces adds great value to the training of Estonian troops, such as in preparing for the deployment of the HIMARS multiple rocket launchers delivered to Estonia this year, as well as during joint exercises," Pevkur added.

The defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania commended the US administration for encouraging European allies to increase defense spending in pursuit of NATO capability goals.

"It is true that European allies must work hard to meet the objectives set in The Hague, and the US administration has been a strong driving force in that regard. We presented Defense Secretary [Pete] Hegseth with the defense plans of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to reaffirm that the Baltic states are committed to increasing defense spending to 5 percent of GDP," Pevkur said.

Approximately 600 US troops are stationed in Estonia on a rotational basis. The Task Force Victory, which operates HIMARS systems, is based at the Tapa military compound with the 1st Infantry Brigade, while the 5th Squadron of the 7th Cavalry Regiment is located at Reedo base near Võru.

While in Washington, Pevkur also met with members of the US Senate and think tanks to discuss defense cooperation between the United States and Estonia, military support to Ukraine, and the outcomes of the NATO summit in The Hague. Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds and Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė also joined Friday's meeting with the US defense secretary.