Estonia is among roughly 30 mostly European states in the “Coalition of the Willing” preparing security guarantees for Ukraine after any ceasefire with Russia. President Alar Karis said Tallinn is prepared to send troops to non-contact areas and is consulting NATO on the implications.
Immediate proximity to Russia is “not the issue here,” Karis told reporters after meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels on Wednesday. “We know that modern weapons can fly very fast in other parts of Europe.”
“I want to make sure that U.S. troops stay here in Europe, not only next to the border, but also in Germany, in Poland, and in other places,” Karis said, adding he would raise the topic with the Supreme Allied Commander Europe next week. “There is a concern, but we are not much worried, because we are all working on the issue.”
Lithuania and Latvia have signaled readiness to join the reassurance force, though Riga says participation depends on Washington’s contribution. Poland has ruled out taking part, saying its troops are needed at home to protect borders.
Rutte downplayed concerns, saying NATO will not directly provide guarantees but is “discreetly” involved “to prevent spreading our resources too thinly.” He added: “That means that we always have to do [sic] what the impact will be on the NATO plans, the foreign land forces, etc.”
About 80,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Europe, with allies bracing for possible reductions as Washington rebalances toward the Indo-Pacific. The Elysée said countries in the coalition, meeting again on Thursday, have nearly finished technical work on guarantees and now need U.S. confirmation.
President Donald Trump has said Europeans must carry most of the burden, ruling out U.S. ground troops but offering a potential backstop, possibly air and missile cover and added intelligence sharing.
EU countries are also accelerating defense industry and interoperability efforts. The three Baltic states and Poland have sought €1 billion from the EU’s €150 billion defense loan scheme to build a Baltic Defense Line along borders with Russia and Belarus.
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Source: Euronews