Tallinn believes NATO presence in Baltic region guarantees freedom, security
TALLINN. Nov 20 (Interfax) - Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves has said that international agreements guaranteeing European security have stopped working.
At his meeting with NATO's new Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday Ilves said that the new chief is assuming the office in uneasy times, and Estonia is doing all it can to keep the alliance strong, the president's press office told Interfax.
"After Russia annexed Crimea and the hostilities began in Ukraine, our security environment has become unpredictable, previous international agreements that guaranteed security lost effectiveness," Ilves said.
The president then called for continued NATO reinforcement, which is "the guarantee of our freedom and existence, not just of Estonia but all of the 28 allies."
He recalled the plan of actions to reinforce the alliance, approved at the NATO summit in Wales, which involves an allied troop presence on the eastern flank.
"A powerful and visible presence of allies here is the best way to repel all those planning to destroy the current security architecture in Europe," Ilves said.
"Here, in this country, the front line of the alliance, people know the price of freedom and know that freedom is not something offered for free," Ilves said.
