The German-Netherlands Corps is one of NATO's High Readiness Forces Headquarters. It is capable of directing any mission of up to 60,000 troops at short notice, the alliance's website said. This includes land, sea and air elements ready to move quickly to wherever needed.

Pevkur said Estonia is currently awaiting a decision from NATO headquarters on whether to station the alliance's German-Dutch corps in Estonia.

"This specific plan is tied to a broader NATO initiative, which involves the German-Dutch corps responsible for our area of operations and their forward command post," the minister told "Aktuaalne kaamera". "It would involve both our allies who fulfill leadership roles at the corps level and, of course, our own defense forces — including conscripts. From the perspective of the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF), it's a fairly significant development."

Pevkur said the corps would require a base complex designed for about 100 to 200 personnel, including headquarters buildings, supporting facilities and infrastructure.

"Primarily, it's about command functions, but of course there must also be provisions for things like perimeter security," he added.

If the decision is made in Estonia's favor, the seaside city of Pärnu in western Estonia could be the most suitable location due to its proximity to a port, an airfield, railway connections, a major highway and Riga.

"If the decision is to station it in Estonia, then the best location would be Pärnu. We've discussed this with the city of Pärnu," said Pevkur.

Pärnu Mayor Romek Kosenkranius emphasized the importance of a defense forces presence for the city.

"Our interest is not only in hosting this corps, but also in bringing the defense forces back to Pärnu and Pärnu County. That would allow conscript service to be organized here, and professional military personnel would have the opportunity to serve in Pärnu or the surrounding area," he said.

The proposed site for the base is a plot of land a few kilometers from the city center, located across from the Pärnu County Defense League unit.

"The Estonian Center for Defense Investments submitted a request to the city of Pärnu last week, asking that the land be transferred to the Ministry of Defense," Kosenkranius said.

Former EDF Commander Gen. Martin Herem said that a corps responsible for operations in the Baltic states should ideally be located within the region, and it would be in Estonia's interest to host it.

"The German-Dutch corps in this case would mean a headquarters element or forward command post. Bringing it to Estonia — or the Baltics in general — would, in my view, be very beneficial to us. Whatever we invest now will yield a significantly greater return: enhanced readiness and activation of NATO plans for the Baltic states, including Estonia," Herem said.

The Ministry of Defense has allocated €17 million for the creation of the base.

"We'll see how things develop. We've budgeted for it, so if the decision is made, we'll be ready to move forward immediately," said Pevkur.

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