“Our security depends on the contribution we make ourselves and on the effectiveness of our cooperation with our Allies. Estonia and Belgium share common interests in strengthening Europe’s defence capabilities, upholding the unity of NATO and supporting Ukraine in its defence against the aggressor,” said Defence Minister Martin Herem.
The Minister highlighted Belgium’s commitment to collective defence and its efforts to increase defence expenditure, noting that raising defence spending represents a significant undertaking for all Allies and is therefore particularly worthy of recognition.
“All NATO member states have committed to stepping up their efforts to defend our common home. Estonia’s defence expenditure has already reached 5% of GDP, and this is a level we need to sustain in order to safeguard our security,” Herem said.
The ministers also discussed the development of the defence industry and opportunities for increased cooperation.
“Estonia and Belgium share a strong interest in innovation and in strengthening defence capabilities. Estonia’s defence industry is developing rapidly, a number of our companies are active in the Ukrainian market and able to provide Europe with competitive and innovative solutions. There is significant potential for mutually beneficial cooperation between the Estonian and Belgian defence industries,” the Minister said.
The Belgian Air Force has participated on several occasions in the Baltic Air Policing mission, which has since been reinforced into an enhanced air defence mission. Belgium is also a member of the IT Coalition, led by Estonia and Luxembourg, through which €1.5 billion in communications and information technology assistance has been provided to Ukraine since 2023.
The two Defence Ministers also participated in the opening discussion of the Annual Baltic Defence Conference (ABCD), moderated by Kristi Raik, Director of the International Centre for Defence and Security. The discussion focused on NATO burden-sharing and on strengthening collective defence and credible deterrence in the current security environment.
