Estonia has announced its readiness to host more U.S. troops
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur stated that the country is prepared to host additional U.S. troops if necessary.
The Estonian minister’s statement was reported by ERR.
Pevkur’s comments addressed media reports suggesting that the U.S. may deploy more troops to NATO’s eastern flank while reducing its presence in other parts of Europe.
In particular, the media mentions Poland, Romania, Lithuania, and Greece as countries where the U.S. could deploy more of its troops.
In this context, Pevkur noted that both the purchase of additional weapons systems from the U.S. and the willingness to discuss opening the Strait of Hormuz could work in Estonia’s favor.
“These are undoubtedly signals that, in my view, have reached the right person at the Pentagon, but so far the Pentagon has, of course, not sent any proposals or decisions to any of the countries regarding what has been decided to be abandoned or added,” he said.
According to the Defense Minister, Estonia is in any case ready to make a greater contribution to ensure a broader allied presence. If necessary, temporary solutions will be developed or plans revised.
"Let me remind you that we are building additional military bases ourselves. We are building a military base in Narva, and if the need arises to urgently redeploy more of our own troops to Narva, while, for example, leaving allies in Tapa, then such an opportunity will certainly arise for us in the coming years, so we are ready if our allies wish to come to us in greater numbers," Pevkur noted.
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