Currently, NATO forces in the Baltic countries and northern Poland are under a joint headquarters in Szczecin. According to the new plan, Estonia and Latvia will be defended by Dutch and German corps. Their headquarters is in Münster, Germany.
Major General Neeme Väli says the changes are necessary. He explains that US policy has changed, and this affects NATO plans as well. European countries will take on more responsibility.
Väli says Poland understands the situation in Estonia and Latvia better than the Netherlands and Germany. However, NATO decisions are still made jointly with all member states.
Former Defense Forces Commander Martin Herem says the changes are good. Currently, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are led by a single corps, but the new plan may change the situation. He feels there may be initial difficulties with new partners, as they are less familiar with the region.
Herem is concerned that the decision-making process is too slow. He says this is a political issue, and Germany, the Netherlands, and NATO should make decisions more quickly.
The exact details of the changes are not yet known. Väli says the Estonian Defense Forces are already preparing. They want new land near Pärnu to build the necessary infrastructure. Financial support is already included in the plans.