In meeting today with His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, who is on an official visit to Estonia, President Alar Karis remarked on the close relationship of the two countries as friends and allies and their ever increasing cooperation in the field of defence. “That His Majesty’s visit to Estonia is timed to coincide with Victory Day is of symbolic importance, because this is the day on which we celebrate our freedom, our alliances and our willingness to defend our country,” the head of state said.
President Karis thanked Spain for its contribution to guaranteeing security in the region as part of the air-policing mission out of Ämari and the NATO battlegroup in Latvia.
“Spain is a steadfast ally in NATO, one whose military contribution to the alliance and presence in the Baltic States is robust and influential,” the head of state noted. Spain will once again be sending to Estonia a NASAMS medium-range air defence system this August.
President Karis accompanied King Felipe on a visit to the Spanish Navy’s multifunctional assault ship the Juan Carlos I, which is docked in Tallinn having just taken part in the Baltops-2024 exercise on the Baltic Sea. This year’s exercise was noteworthy as it saw the groups of vessels involved practising naval warfare and landing operations on the basis of NATO’s new collective defence plans for the first time.
The Estonian head of state acknowledged Spain for its dedicated support of Ukraine in fending off Russia’s aggression. “Our only viable strategy in this war is to continue to back Ukraine by providing it with all the help it needs, first and foremost in the form of military assistance,” he said.
Another topic discussed during the meeting was the joint Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian construction project for Rail Baltic and its importance in connecting the Baltic States to the rest of Europe.
The conflict in the Middle East and Russia’s influence operations in African countries were also touched upon.
