NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Estonia on 14 October, meeting the country’s top leaders and visiting Ämari Air Base.
Rutte held talks with President Ülle Madise, Prime Minister Kristen Michal, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and Defence Minister Martin Herem, NATO informed on Wednesday.
“We have just discussed how we keep NATO strong, and Estonia secure,” he said at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister.
Rutte added that NATO was supporting Estonia “in the air, on the ground and at sea”, and pointed to allied fighter jets based at Ämari as part of the alliance’s air defence mission.
.Rutte also referred to the UK-led Forward Land Forces at Tapa, and to the First German-Netherlands Corps holding tactical command for the land defence of Estonia and Latvia.
He also mentioned “Baltic Sentry” as a NATO activity “standing guard at sea.”
Defence spending and support for Ukraine
Estonia’s “core defence spending this year is above 5% of GDP, among the highest in all of NATO,” Rutte said.
On Ukraine, he cited more than €850 million in Estonian military assistance since 2022 and a commitment to continue support of at least 0.25% of GDP.
He also noted Tallinn is due to host the Ukraine Recovery Conference in January.
Rutte welcomed a new Estonian contribution of €10 million to PURL — a NATO programme through which the United States provides equipment for Ukraine funded by allies and partners.
During the trip, he met Defence Minister Martin Herem at Ämari Air Base and spoke with Turkish Air Force personnel supporting the NATO air defence mission there.
He also delivered a public lecture at Tallinn University of Technology.
