Estonian President Toomas Ilves has called for a permanent Nato force to be stationed in his country.
Mr Ilves told the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper that Estonia felt threatened by Russian military flights and exercises in the area, as well as by belligerent rhetoric from Moscow.
Currently the sole Nato contingent in Estonia is a 150-strong US infantry company, stationed temporarily.
Nato has pledged a 5,000-strong task force to defend vulnerable members.
According to Nato's founding charter, if a member country of the alliance is attacked every other member would be obliged to go to war in its defence.
But the 1997 Nato-Russia Founding Act forbids the presence of permanent bases in eastern and central Europe.
Mr Ilves told the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper that Estonia felt threatened by Russian military flights and exercises in the area, as well as by belligerent rhetoric from Moscow.
Currently the sole Nato contingent in Estonia is a 150-strong US infantry company, stationed temporarily.
Nato has pledged a 5,000-strong task force to defend vulnerable members.
According to Nato's founding charter, if a member country of the alliance is attacked every other member would be obliged to go to war in its defence.
But the 1997 Nato-Russia Founding Act forbids the presence of permanent bases in eastern and central Europe.
No comments:
Post a Comment