Baltic States Plan Seamless Military Transit Zone
Estonia’s Minister of Defense, Hanno Pevkur, finalized a shared declaration of intent in Tallinn alongside his Latvian and Lithuanian colleagues, Andris Spruds and Robertas Kaunas. This step officially sets in motion preparations for the joint regional effort, as reported by an Estonian news agency.
The MMA has been characterized as a defense-oriented parallel to the European Union’s Schengen Area, with the goal of eliminating administrative obstacles and aligning regulations that presently hinder the cross-border deployment of armed forces, including those of NATO partners.
"The point of the 'military schengen' is that we do not have any bureaucracy, any paperwork that needs to be done when militaries are moving from one European country to another," Pevkur stated during a joint press briefing, emphasizing that current processes can postpone troop movements for several months.
Kaunas highlighted the tangible operational advantages of the proposal, explaining that it would enable rapid relocation of forces and equipment to critical locations throughout the region. "In times of crisis, every hour matters, and bureaucracy and borders can slow down our defense and deterrence," he remarked.
Latvian Defense Minister Spruds drew attention to the initiative’s wide-ranging coverage, noting that the mobility zone would extend across land, maritime, aerial, and cyber spheres.
The three ministers emphasized that the plan is limited to peacetime application and is designed to strengthen preparedness and deterrence. They added that it would also feed into broader conversations about establishing a Europe-wide military mobility system to bolster NATO’s eastern defenses.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
