During the North Atlantic Council session, ministers discussed European Allies and Canada taking greater responsibility for defending Europe, strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence, and boosting defence industrial capacity. The meeting of the NATO Nuclear Planning Group addressed the current state of NATO’s nuclear deterrence. Additionally, the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, co-led by Germany and the United Kingdom, met to discuss long-term support pledge for Ukraine.
According to Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur, the most critical priority from Estonia’s perspective is for all NATO Allies to remain united, fulfill their established capability targets, and implement the key agreement of the Hague Summit—to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 at the latest.
"European Allies are scaling up defence investments, developing capabilities, and increasing defence industrial production to ensure a stronger defence of the continent by Europeans themselves. In 2025, Europe and Canada spent over $90 billion more on defence compared to 2024, representing an almost 20% increase in defence spending. Estonia has made its decisions to increase defence spending and is thereby fulfilling the NATO capability targets set for us. Overall, Germany, Poland, the Nordic countries, and the Baltic states are investing in defence at a faster pace," Pevkur said.
Restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for the functioning of the global economy, was also discussed. Defence ministers addressed Allies' contributions to efforts to ensure freedom of navigation.
United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth informed the Allies that the US will review its force posture in Europe over the next six months. "We are in close communication with the US regarding the permanent presence of their forces in Estonia and the wider Baltic region. This is a vital component of NATO's deterrence and defence on its eastern flank," Defence Minister Pevkur added.
At the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting, which included the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov provided an overview of the situation in Ukraine and its military assistance needs in the fight against Russian aggression. Estonia supports a multi-year support pledge for Ukraine. In 2026, Estonia’s military aid to Ukraine accounts for approximately 0.28% of GDP, which includes $13 million in aid provided through the PURL initiative. Through the IT Coalition co-led with Luxembourg, a total of €1.5 billion has already been raised in ICT support for Ukraine.
On the margins of the Defence Ministers' meeting, Defence Minister Pevkur also held talks with the defence ministers of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
