Estonia should not be modest at NATO summit, says senior MP

Marko Mihkelson, the Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of Estonian Parliament, said to Delfi today that Estonia should be more persuasive in stressing its security policy aims at the NATO Summit in Wales next month.

Contrary to the opinion expressed by the Prime Minister’s defence advisor, Mihkelson argued that Estonia should convince its NATO allies to do more in terms of offering a solid security assurance.

"Prime Minister Rõivas should convince Estonia’s allies to strengthen the collective defence principle. It is therefore important that we will not be modest about our expectations, in advance of the summit. Estonia has proven to be a responsible member of NATO, spending 2% of our GDP on defence. Hence we have a good position to be more assertive," Mihkelson said.

Prime Minister’s security advisor has previously stated that Estonia has not asked the permanent presence of large NATO forces on its soil.

Mihkelson stressed that Estonia should clearly ask for guarantees for the permanent presence of NATO military.