The Estonian Minister of Defence, Hanno Pevkur, met in Tallinn with the UK Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey, to discuss long-term bilateral defence cooperation and its strategic expansion. During his visit, John Healey also met with UK service personnel participating in the major military exercise Kevadtorm (Spring Storm).
“The United Kingdom has been our steadfast partner, and their continuous presence in Estonia is a clear testament to our allies’ commitment to our shared security. Having first come to our aid during the Estonian War of Independence more than 100 years ago, the UK now serves as the framework nation for the allied brigade assigned to the defence of Estonia, safeguarding our country and the wider region on a daily basis. British soldiers train here side by side with Estonian servicemen and are currently taking part in the major exercise Kevadtorm,” said Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur.
“We also highly value the United Kingdom’s joint leadership with France in heading the Coalition of the Willing and together with Germany in steering the Ukraine Defence Contact Group. These are clear proof of the allies’ determined action to provide Ukraine with exactly the assistance and support it most needs to defend its freedom,” the Minister emphasised.
“The UK’s commitment to Estonia is unshakeable. I am proud of how our British and Estonian forces are working together to defend every inch of NATO territory. We are exercising together to deter Russian aggression and keep Estonia and the alliance secure”, said John Healey, the UK Secretary of State for Defence.
The UK-led NATO Battlegroup operates within the Estonian Division and forms the core of the allied forward presence. Additionally, the United Kingdom is the framework nation for the Forward Land Forces brigade dedicated to reinforcing Estonia. Under normal circumstances, this 4th Brigade is permanently stationed at high readiness in the UK, prepared to deploy rapidly in times of crisis.
The reinforcement brigade’s participation in Estonia’s exercise Kevadtorm (Spring Storm) serves to validate rapid deployment capabilities, testing both sending and host nation procedures, as well as integrating the additional brigade into the division’s tactical manoeuvres. Last year, 3,000 British troops from the 4th Brigade were similarly deployed to Estonia for the exercise Siil (Hedgehog).
Estonia and the United Kingdom also maintain close and effective cooperation within the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) framework, which brings together like-minded nations for rapid and flexible crisis response. Last year, the JEF format conducted the international exercise Tarassis. The JEF focuses on strengthening security across the Baltic Sea and North Atlantic regions, directly complementing NATO’s regional defence and deterrence posture. Its member states include the United Kingdom, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and the Netherlands.
Furthermore, the United Kingdom has consistently contributed to the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission, and British forces remain frequent participants in military exercises hosted by Estonia and neighbouring allied countries.
Source: Estonian Ministry of Defence
