NATO won’t collapse, US will defend allies: Estonia
NATO remains resilient and the United States would defend its allies in the event of a Russian attack, Estonia’s defence minister has said, despite rising tensions within the alliance.
Hanno Pevkur expressed confidence in transatlantic unity, stating that both the US and European members continue to rely on each other for security, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
“Yes, I trust the US and all our allies,” he said, adding that he does not believe NATO is at risk of collapse.
His remarks come amid renewed uncertainty after Donald Trump recently raised the possibility of reducing US commitments to the alliance over disputes with European members.
Pevkur compared the situation to a long-term relationship, acknowledging disagreements but stressing that they can be managed.
“There are no decades without problems, you work through them,” he said.
Despite his confidence in NATO, Pevkur warned that Europe is currently not capable of defending itself without US support.
He called for increased military spending across the alliance, noting that many members are still falling short of agreed defence targets.
Estonia is among the few countries meeting higher spending goals, with defence expenditure expected to exceed 5% of GDP this year.
The comments also come as Estonia and other Baltic states monitor Russia’s military activity closely. Intelligence assessments have suggested Moscow may be preparing for future conflicts once the war in Ukraine subsides.
Russia has dismissed such claims.
Looking beyond Europe, Pevkur said resolving tensions in the Middle East could allow the United States to refocus more attention on Ukraine, which he described as the primary security concern for the region.
His remarks highlight a key challenge for NATO: balancing global crises while maintaining long-term commitments to European security.
News.Az
By Aysel Mammadzada
