Some of Estonia’s leading politicians involved in foreign policy matters have differing opinions on the suitability of Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, as potential new NATO secretary general, replacing another Scandinavian, Jens Stoltenberg. Frederiksen has been tipped by the international media as the most likely candidate to replace Stoltenberg –Continue Reading
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) believes she is unlikely to be handed the NATO top job because she comes from the alliance’s eastern flank and other countries are seen as more “eligible.” Kallas’ name has been mentioned along with several others, such as the UK’s Defense Secretary Ben WallaceContinue Reading
While Sweden is waiting on the doorsteps to NATO, the US Secretary of State sends a strong signal of support as he starts his Nordic visit at Norrbotten Wing, home to Sweden’s northern fighter jets base. The hope was for Sweden to join North Atlantic Alliance ahead of the VilniusContinue Reading
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen could become the next NATO secretary general, while Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) is also considered, Politico wrote on Thursday. Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, has emerged as a likely candidate for NATO leadership, Politico writes; this opinion is sparked by Fredriksen’s offerContinue Reading
NATO’s present defense plans in relation to Estonia and the wider region are perfectly adequate and satisfactory, MP and defense expert Kalev Stoicescu (Eesti 200) says. Stoicescu, who chairs the Riigikogu’s national defense committee, told ERR Thursday that: “NATO’s defense plans for the Baltic States, and the entire region inContinue Reading
An independent monitoring group urges Finland to exercise caution in regard to NATO nuclear weapons exercises, reports the Finnish news agency (STT). A fresh report recommends that Finland maintains its prohibitions on the importation, manufacturing, possession and detonation of nuclear explosives. The Nuclear Weapons Monitoring Group (Finland), whose members includeContinue Reading
The NATO enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup in Estonia recently marked six years of existence. Based primarily at Tapa, east of Tallinn, and with HQ staff in the capital, the battlegroup is one of four such set-ups, the others being in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The Tapa-based eFP Battlegroup isContinue Reading
Sweden’s hopes of quickly following Finland into NATO membership have alighted on Turkey’s presidential election in May, in which recent polls show President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 20-year rule is in danger of ending. “The signals that Sweden has gotten from the opposition have been very good,” Paul Levin, director ofContinue Reading
The Åland islands occupy a special position in Finland, with a demilitarised status that means no armed forces can be stationed there and, unlike male citizens from elsewhere in Finland, Ålanders cannot be conscripted. Finland does, however, have the obligation to defend Åland if necessary. There are MPs in theContinue Reading
Spain has deployed advanced Norwegian-made Nasams surface-to-air defence missiles in Estonia as part of its commitment to NATO in the Baltic region. The Nasams system will protect the Amari air base, where NATO fighters operate as part of the Alliance’s rotating patrol shifts over the airspace above the Baltic statesContinue Reading
Sweden
1,222,892
Denmark
529,210
Lithuania
484,537
Norway
300,013
Latvia
259,215
Estonia
226,304
Finland
197,476
Iceland
18,896