President says Estonia wants permanent NATO bases
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 2 September 2014 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, President says Estonia wants permanent NATO bases, 2 September 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/542ac6f315.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
September 02, 2014
Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves says his country wants NATO to set up permanent bases on its territory to protect it against potential threats from Russia.
Ilves said on September 2, "We should not have NATO with two-tier countries: with NATO permanent bases and without. This is the wrong signal to send to the potential aggressor."
The Baltic countries in NATO – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – have grown increasingly concerned about potential threats from neighboring Russia as the crisis has escalated in Ukraine, where the West says Russia has sent troops and military equipment to help separatists fighting the government.
U.S. President Barack Obama is due to arrive in Estonia on September 2 for meetings with Baltic leaders before traveling to a NATO summit in Wales.
At the September 4-5 summit, NATO is expected to unveil plans for expand its military infrastructure near Russia's borders.
Based on reporting by Reuters
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
