Gallery: NATO ceremony in Valga–Valka marks command handover as top European defense chiefs attend
The new headquarters will direct NATO units in Estonia and Latvia and give the alliance a second corps able to surge 40,000 to 60,000 troops in wartime.
- On Tuesday, the First German-Dutch Corps assumed command of NATO ground force missions in Estonia and Latvia during a ceremony in the border town of Valga on the Estonia-Latvia border.
- This transition stems from a new NATO force model designed to increase combat readiness by dividing the northeastern flank into two command sectors; Multinational Corps Northeast will continue directing forces in Lithuania and Poland.
- German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated the headquarters improves readiness to "reinforce our ability to deter any potential adversary," while the combined corps can surge 40,000 to 60,000 troops into the Baltic region in wartime.
- Germany is basing an armored force in Lithuania expected to reach 5,000 troops by 2027, coinciding with a planned redeployment of about 1,000 United States soldiers from the country.
- General Christopher Donahue, commander of NATO's Allied Land Command, noted that Europe is taking on more responsibility than in 35 years, aligning with the Pentagon's push for allies to lead conventional defense.
12 Articles
12 Articles
German-Dutch Corps Assumes Control of NATO Forces in Estonia, Latvia Ahead of Ankara Summit
The Netherlands and Germany have established a joint military command center in Estonia, taking charge of NATO’s eastern flank defense ahead of next week’s alliance summit in Ankara.
The headquarters of the First German-Dutch Army Corps took over command of the NATO units in Estonia and Latvia on Tuesday. The...
New NATO Command Center in Estonia Puts Germany, Netherlands at Baltic Defense Core
Germany and the Netherlands established a joint military command center in Estonia to deter Russia and take on greater responsibility within NATO, ahead of the NATO leaders' summit next week, Bloomberg reported on June 30. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius attended the handover ceremony in the Estonian border town of Valga, where the First German-Dutch Corps took command of part of NATO's eastern-flank defense from the Multinational Corps …
Gallery: NATO ceremony in Valga–Valka marks command handover as top European defense chiefs attend
A formal ceremony was held on Tuesday in the twin city of Valga–Valka, where the 1st German–Dutch Corps (1GNC) officially took over the tactical command of the Estonian and Latvian land forces from NATO's Multinational Corps Northeast.
With its staff, the German-Dutch Corps takes the lead over the alliance's land forces to defend Estonia and Latvia against threats or a military attack.
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