NATO member Estonia’s defense minister has stated that the U.S. would assist in defending against an attack by Russia, according to Reuters. However, he also warned that Europe is not prepared to face Moscow alone.
Estonian intelligence had previously warned in February of Russia stockpiling ammunition for future wars post-Ukraine conflict.
Russia dismissed allegations from European leaders about potential attacks on NATO as nonsense.
US President Donald Trump recently threatened to withdraw the U.S. from the alliance due to European members’ refusal to send ships to unblock the Strait of Hormuz near Iran and his plans to take over Greenland from Denmark, a NATO ally.
Despite these challenges, Estonia’s defense minister expressed confidence in the US and its allies, comparing NATO’s current strains to a long marriage with many ups and downs. He emphasized that Europe needs more investment in defense, as most NATO members have not met Trump’s demand to increase spending on defense to at least 5% of GDP.
Pevkur also suggested that resolving the conflict in Iran could allow for more U.S. attention to be directed towards Ukraine, which remains a significant concern for Estonia and its region.