Estonia’s defense minister remains confident the United States will honor its commitment to protect NATO allies from Russian aggression, even as tensions within the alliance have escalated in recent weeks.
Speaking to Reuters during a Thursday visit to Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur dismissed concerns about NATO’s future stability despite recent diplomatic friction.
“Yes I trust the U.S. and yes I trust all our allies,” Pevkur stated when asked about American commitment to Baltic defense.
The minister’s comments come amid heightened uncertainty about NATO’s cohesion. President Donald Trump recently threatened American withdrawal from the alliance due to European nations’ reluctance to deploy naval forces for clearing the Strait of Hormuz near Iran. Trump’s plans regarding Greenland, a territory of NATO member Denmark, have also created additional alliance tensions.
Pevkur argued that mutual dependence makes NATO dissolution unlikely, noting that America requires European military cooperation as much as Europe depends on U.S. protection.
“I don’t believe that NATO will collapse,” he emphasized, drawing parallels between current alliance challenges and marital difficulties.
“There are no 50 years of purely smooth sailing. You have differences and problems, and you need to work through them,” the Estonian official explained.
However, Pevkur acknowledged significant European military shortcomings, admitting the continent cannot currently mount an independent defense against Moscow.
“Are we there where we want to be? No,” he conceded. “All of us (in NATO) need to invest more into defence.”
Estonian intelligence agencies warned in February that Russia continues accumulating military supplies for future conflicts following the conclusion of fighting in Ukraine. Russian officials have dismissed European claims about potential NATO attacks as unfounded.
Most NATO countries have failed to meet Trump’s demand for defense spending equal to 5% of national economic output, according to Pevkur. Estonia plans to allocate 5.1% of its gross domestic product to military expenses this year, ranking among NATO’s highest spenders.
The defense minister suggested NATO should prioritize resolving Middle Eastern conflicts, arguing this approach could enable greater American focus on Ukrainian support.
“Once it’s resolved, there is a chance to bring more U.S. focus towards Ukraine,” Pevkur noted. “For our region, that remains the main problem.”
