Minister Černochová highlighted the existing mutual cooperation especially in areas such as cyber defence, foreign operations and academic as well as field training. The Ministers then discussed the possibilities for deepening defence industrial cooperation and potential future armaments acquisitions. Minister Černochová also invited Minister Laanet to attend the informal EU Defence Ministerial meeting that will take place in Prague at the end of August. The Czech MoD offered to the Estonian Defence Minister the possibilities to visit leading Czech defence industries.

Reception of minister Laanet at the MoD in Prague

Given the current security situation that deeply concerns not only the Czech Republic but especially the Baltic States, the Minister agreed on the need to strengthen NATO’s Eastern Flank. “There is hardly anyone in the Czech Republic who would doubt the need to substantially increase defence spending,” Minister Černochová stated, and applauded Estonia for having allocated 2.5% GDP for defence.

The agenda also covered the current situation in Ukraine. Minister Černochová appreciated the scope of Estonian military assistance and informed Minister Laanet of our sustained support. “Our countries are bound by the same bad historical experience with Russia, the Soviet Union, which gives us the moral right to condemn this aggression and constitutes an obligation to help countries that have shared this experience with us, but have not been lucky enough to become a part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation,” Minister Černochová underscored and concurred with Minister Laanet on the necessity to carry on aiding Ukraine.

Reception of minister Laanet at the MoD in Prague

“The most important takeaway from today’s meeting for me is the fact that while the geographical distance between Tallinn and Prague is more than 1,500 kilometres, our perspectives on the situation in Ukraine, the future of NATO and the European Union, and indeed on our future cooperation are very close to one another,“ Minister Laanet summed up.

Article shared from the website of Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic.