"Portugal is a committed, long-standing contributor to the defence of NATO's eastern flank. Their presence in Estonia is an excellent demonstration of the Alliance’s unity and strong allied relations. Our close defence cooperation with Portugal also confirms that, from NATO's perspective, the security of the Baltic Sea, the Atlantic, and the Mediterranean is interconnected. We agree that deterrence must rely on actual capabilities, high-readiness forces, continuous defence investments, and the political will to act together," said Minister of Defence Pevkur.
During the meeting, the defence ministers also discussed the outcomes of the Ankara Summit, including military support for Ukraine. "Both Estonia and Portugal consistently support Ukraine in its fight against Russia's war of aggression through NATO initiatives and bilateral cooperation agreements," Pevkur emphasized.
For instance, Portugal has collaborated with Ukraine primarily on the development of maritime drones, while Estonia supports the building of secure and resilient communication systems in Ukraine through the IT Coalition. At their bilateral meeting, the ministers stressed that Estonia and Portugal will continue providing comprehensive political and military support to Ukraine. "In addition, it is crucial to keep increasing economic pressure on the Russian war economy through sanctions and to combat the Russian shadow fleet," Pevkur added.
Following their meeting in Tallinn, the ministers proceeded to Ämari Air Base for the handover ceremony. There, the departing Portuguese Air Force detachment was awarded the Baltic Air Policing Medal. The ministers also welcomed the arriving Turkish Air Force detachment, which will secure the Baltic airspace from Ämari for the next four months with five F-16 fighter jets, marking their first deployment from this base.
Additionally, the Portuguese Defence Minister visited the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) of which Portugal is a founding member, and the Miinisadam naval base in Tallinn.
The Portuguese Air Force has previously participated in the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission seven times from Šiauliai in Lithuania (in 2007, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023), serving as the lead nation on five of those occasions. The rotation just concluded at Ämari air base was Portugal's second deployment there - the Portuguese first provided air policing from Ämari in the autumn of 2025.
At this summer's NATO Summit in Ankara, it was decided that from 1 August, the longstanding 22-year NATO Baltic Air Policing mission will officially transform into an Air Defence Mission. While the previous air policing mission focused primarily on airspace surveillance and responding to violations, the new air defence mission enables defensive operations utilizing NATO's full Integrated Air and Missile Defence System.
Photos from the meeting at the Estonian Ministry of Defence and the ceremony at Ämari air base
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