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Together with the Baltic States, we care about security in the region

16.12.2019

- Our countries are crucial, not only for the security of our region, but also for the entire NATO. We are on the eastern flank of NATO, which has unique strategic significance for the North Atlantic Alliance. I would like to emphasize that Poland's commitment to the security of the region is long-term - said Mariusz Błaszczak, Minister of National Defence in Tallinn after meeting his counterparts from the Baltic States.

Press conference of the defence ministers of the Baltic States and Poland

The head of the Ministry of National Defence was on December 16th on a visit to Estonia, where he participated in the plenary meeting of the defence ministers of the Baltic states: Estonia - Jüri Luik, Lithuania - Raimundas Karoblis and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence of Latvia - Artis Pabriks. Ministers discussed the security situation in the region in the context of the last NATO meeting in London decisions.

- We decided on our future cooperation in the implementation of the NATO readiness initiative, to establish a joint brigade, of which Poland will be a framework country. Our cooperation is focused on strengthening the readiness on the eastern flank and the ability to conduct collective defence operations in our region - said the head of the Ministry of National Defence.

The talks of ministers concerned the implementation of the allied security and defence policy, including the involvement of the countries of the region in its implementation, the development of the allied command structure and the presence of allied forces in the region. According to minister Mariusz Blaszczak, the Baltic States and Poland have already achieved a lot to strengthen the alliance's eastern flank. The head of the Ministry of National Defence and his counterparts from the Baltic States reminded about the creation of NATO commands in Poland: the corps in Szczecin and the division in Elbląg:

- At the same time, we are strengthening the division in Elbląg - next month Poland and Lithuania are affiliating to the division the Lithuanian brigade - announced minister Mariusz Błaszczak.

The Minister of Defence of Estonia, the host of the ministerial meeting in Tallinn, also drew attention to the development of NATO structures in Eastern Europe:

- We appreciate Poland for participating in strengthening the defence capabilities of the Baltic States: air policing missions and in the battlegroup in Latvia. NATO structures in our countries are very important, especially commands in Szczecin and Elbląg in Poland - said the head of the Estonian Ministry of Defence Juri Luik emphasizing the importance of cooperation with Poland.

Ministers also pointed to the important role of transatlantic cooperation in strengthening the security of our region of Europe, in particular the presence of American troops in Poland. Ministers agreed on further development of defence cooperation in this field.

At the same time, the head of the Ministry of National Defence emphasized the joint position of the defence ministers of the Baltic States and Poland regarding the issue of maintaining an appropriate balance between defence initiatives of NATO and the European Union.

At a joint press conference, ministers drew attention to issues related to cyber threats and cyber defence. Minister Mariusz Błaszczak reminded that cyberspace has been recognized by NATO as one of the operational spaces of the North Atlantic Alliance since 2016. The head of the Ministry of National Defence emphasized that the development of 5G technology requires a special approach in terms of ensuring security.

The ministers also discussed the development of the region's air and missile defence, noting the positive effects of building the Wisła system in Poland and plans for the development of similar systems in the Baltic States.

The defence ministers of the Baltic States and Poland agreed on the further development of joint defence initiatives in the future.

 

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