The Pentagon reported that U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper noted the commitment of the Baltic Republic to “deter aggression from Russia”.
U.S. and Estonian military chiefs Mark Esper and Jüri Luijk discussed the security situation in the Baltic States and relations with Russia during their Tuesday talks in Washington. This was stated in a written statement released by the U.S. military spokeswoman Alissa Farah.
“They discussed a common interest in the future of NATO and security issues, including Russia”, – the document said, which also states that Moscow “poses an immediate threat to the Baltic States”.
“The [US Defence Minister] praised Estonia for its strong commitment to containing Russian aggression, strengthening NATO alliance and promoting our common interests”, – the Pentagon said.
As the Russian Foreign Ministry stated earlier, instilling the image of a “Russian aggressor” in Western societies and reports of an alleged security threat to NATO countries from Kaliningrad justify the increase in the alliance’s military budget. The Russian Foreign Ministry reminded that Moscow has repeatedly expressed its fears regarding the strengthening of NATO military infrastructure near the Russian borders.