German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has met the Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas in Tallinn. Their discussions focused on security and defence cooperation ahead of a NATO summit due to be held in Vilnius in July.
Scholz said Germany is ready to defend its Baltic allies against military attacks and Germany has expanded its support of the Baltic States in many ways, including stationing 700 soldiers in Lithuania, lending Eurofighter jets to defend Estonian airspace and increasing its naval presence in the Baltic.
“We have to protect our allies in case of a military attack. We have taken the necessary steps, the German army is formed in such a way that we can defend Eastern Europe, because the defence of every ally is necessary for the security of the entire alliance and the entire European Union,” said the German Chancellor, whose country has played an increasing role in NATO’s defence, despite receiving criticism for their initial reluctance to send munitions to the Ukraine.
