News
10.06.2025|Ministry of Defence
Photo Gallery: Permanent Secretary Kaimo Kuusk presents mission medals to French and U.S. soldiers
On June 4th at the Estonian Defence Forces’ Tapa military base, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Kaimo Kuusk awarded mission medals to soldiers from the French contingent of NATO’s battlegroup in Estonia and the U.S. Task Force Victory, whose service in Estonia concludes in June.
“We...
05.06.2025|Ministry of Defence
NATO's defence readiness requires reaching 5% defence spending within 5 years
At today’s NATO defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels, ministers discussed preparations for the upcoming Hague Summit and adopted capability targets necessary for implementing NATO’s defence plans.
“For the Hague Summit, all member states need to commit to the 5% defence spending target and begin...
28.05.2025|Ministry of Defence
IT Coalition led by Estonia and Luxembourg has raised over one billion euros in support of Ukraine
Yesterday in Tallinn, member states of the IT Coalition Steering Group gathered for their ninth meeting to receive an update on recent developments and Ukraine’s most urgent needs in communications and information technology. In total, the member states of the Coalition led by Estonia and...
23.05.2025|Ministry of Defence
Baltic defence ministers reiterated their commitment to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP from 2026
Defence Ministers of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania met at Ämari Air Base to align positions ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague this June. The meeting focused on strengthening European defence readiness, increasing defence spending, advancing the Baltic Defence Line initiative,...
19.05.2025|Ministry of Defence
Tõnis Saar chosen to become new director of NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence
This August, Tõnis Saar will assume the role of Director of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), based in Tallinn. He will take over the position from Mart Noorma, who has led the Centre since August 2022.
“Cyber defence is one of NATO’s key tasks in deterrence and...
16.05.2025|Ministry of Defence
Estonian Minister of Defence meets with NATO Deputy Secretary General and U.S. Ambassador to NATO
Ahead of the opening of the Lennart Meri Conference today, Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur met with NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska and U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker to discuss the security situation and preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague.
"The key...
14.05.2025|Ministry of Defence
Pevkur in Washington D.C.: Allies must commit to 5% for national defence at NATO Hague Summit
During his two-day visit to Washington, Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur met with National Intelligence Coordinator Tulsi Gabbard, members of the U.S. Congress and Senate, think tank representatives, and media outlets to discuss the global security situation and present Estonia’s positions ahead of...
21.04.2025|Ministry of Defence
The Government of the Republic of Estonia approved a defence readiness exercise Okas
The Government of the Republic of Estonia decided to declare a defence readiness exercise Okas 25-1 (Quill), with up to 235 members of the Movement and Transport Service, Support Command, ordered to participate the snap exercise (SNAPEX). Exercise Okas is of a defensive manner, aimed at practicing...
11.04.2025|Ministry of Defence
Estonian Minister of Defence Pevkur met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur met today in Brussels with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The discussion focused on the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, the security of the Eastern border, and the situation in the Baltic Sea.
“We are in agreement with the NATO Secretary General that defence...
08.04.2025|Ministry of Defence
Estonia´s Defence Minister in Ukraine: Our Defence Industry Has Much to Gain from Cooperation with Ukraine
Minister of Defence of Estonia, Hanno Pevkur was on a two-day visit to Ukraine to discuss opportunities for developing defence cooperation and Estonia’s military aid to Ukraine. The Minister was accompanied on the visit to Kyiv by representatives of more than 30 Estonian defence industry companies...