Minister of Defence Kalle Laanet met yesterday with Christian Cambon, Chairman of the French Senate’s Commission on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces. At the meeting, defence-related co-operation between the two countries in French-led operations in Barkhane and Takuba, in the Sahel region of Africa, were discussed. In addition, co-operation within the framework of NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) and relations with Russia were talked about.
Laanet and Cambon acknowledged that co-operation between Estonia and France in the field of defence and security has intensified significantly in recent years and is in remarkably good shape.
“Estonia greatly appreciates the contribution of France to the NATO Battlegroup and the Baltic Air Policing mission, and their decision to come to Estonia with their contingent in March of this year for a whole year, instead of the originally planned eight months. Close defence-related co-operation is important and the eFP is highly valued by us as a deterrent against Russia,” said the Minister of Defence.
A day before, Christian Cambon visited the French contingent of the NATO Battlegroup operating in the Tapa military campus.
France has been contributing to the UK-led NATO eFP Battlegroup in Estonia since 2017. In March of this year, a French military contingent was deployed to Estonia for the third time within the framework of eFP, and instead of the previous eight months, they will be serving in Estonia for a whole year. Most of the French contingent comes from the 12th Cuirassier Regiment and the Régiment de marche du Tchad, in addition to other artillery, combat engineering and logistics units of the French Army. Among other things, French are contributing with 12 Leclerc tanks and 8 VBCI armoured infantry fighting vehicles.
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