Estonia praised the federal government’s actions

NATO’s eastern flank

Estonia’s Defense Minister praised the federal government’s actions

Germany is investing more in security and defense. This met with approval in Estonia – and the rearmament of the Bundeswehr did not cause concern in Tallinn.

Today, the black-and-red federal government cannot complain about being showered with too much praise. The coalition has received criticism for many of its projects. In opinion polls, Chancellor Merz continues to decline. Some of the encouragement comes at the right time: Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur is now praising the federal government’s military-political resolve and its support for Ukraine, which is under attack by Russia.

“Chancellor Merz has made it clear that he is a strong supporter of Ukraine. But of course it is not only words that matter, but also actions,” Pevkur told the German Press Agency on the sidelines of a conference in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. The fact that Germany’s defense budget will increase to 100 billion euros and military aid to Ukraine next year will amount to around 12 billion euros is “very good news.”

According to Pevkur, Germany and the federal government also face challenges in absorbing these funds. This applies especially to the Minister of Defense. “However, I am confident that Boris Pistorius is the right person to manage this budget well,” said the minister of the EU and NATO Baltic states that border Russia.

According to Pevkur, plans to upgrade the Bundeswehr to become the strongest conventional army in Europe do not cause concern in Estonia. “I’m not afraid. I see clearly that Germany is committed to European unity and a strong NATO. And that is very important,” he said.