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 express our deepest gratitude for your outstanding service and dedication to the defence of Estonia and our Allies. You stood on the Alliance’s front lines to defend our freedom, protect our democracies and uphold the values that bind us together as Allies. NATO is not just a military alliance. It is a family of nations united by trust and a belief in the principles of democracy, liberty, and the rule of law. Your presence and your professionalism have been a clear signal to Estonia and to the entire world: we stand together and defend each other shoulder to shoulder,” said Permanent Secretary Kuusk in his speech.
The NATO battlegroup in Estonia includes troops from both the United Kingdom and France, with the UK serving as the framework nation. The U.S. Task Force Victory is deployed in Tapa as part of the United States’ rotational presence in Estonia.
Photo gallery from the medal ceremony
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