EDF commander: Peace that preceded war in Ukraine unlikely to return
The type of peace that existed before Russia's invasion of Ukraine will not return, said Commander of the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) Lt. Gen. Andrus Merilo. The changing security situation means Estonia will procure new naval vessels, reorganize its conscription model and build a new military base in the coming years.
Speaking at this Friday's weekly Ministry of Defense press briefing, Lt. Gen. Merilo said there is no reason to expect the security situation in the region to improve in the near future.
"The peace we were accustomed to living with before February 24, 2022, is unlikely to return," he said.
The EDF commander emphasized that, as a result, certain changes to the organization of Estonia's approach to defense and procurement of additional military capabilities are extremely important.
Those changes include conscripts being recruited according to a 12-month service model from 2027, with the plan to call up as many as 4,100 conscripts.
In an additional change, the EDF will only use conscripts for combat duty if necessary. That constitutes so-called "active service," which no longer includes just training.
According to Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform), the main goal for the defense sector is still to keep increasing the number of active and reserve military personnel, along with raising their salaries and benefits.
"If we want to maintain the capabilities we are acquiring, be able to operate them and remain prepared at all times, then increasing the wartime contingent, reviewing the salaries of active duty personnel, and regularly reviewing the allowances of conscripts and reserve forces i.e. reserve soldiers, is inevitable," said Pevkur.
Conscripts' allowances will increase by 30 percent this year, with the Ministry of Defense also planning to raise the salaries of active-duty personnel.
The number of places available at the Estonian Military Academy (Kaitseväe Akadeemia) will also increase from 90 to 150.
Next year, the Estonian government plans to allocated 0.25 percent of GDP to support Ukraine. This year, that would amount to €110 million.
According to Elmar Vaher, the new head of the Estonian Center for Defense Investments (RKIK), one of their main aims is the acquisition of new vessels for the navy.
"The ambition is to build up to having four new ships for the navy, two for operating on the open sea and two for coastal platforms. We are currently assessing what both the local and international markets can offer us," said Vaher.
The Estonian navy's minehunters Sakala, Ugandi and Admiral Cowan are also due to be upgraded.
As part of the Baltic Defense Line, almost 600 bunkers along the border with Russia will be constructed by 2027, with funding also coming from Latvia.
The Narva military base is expected to be completed in the second half of 2027, with the winner of the construction tender for that project due to be confirmed this May.
Last year, Estonia's defense budget was €1.38 billion, accounting for 3.3 percent of GDP. In 2026, the defense budget will rise to €2.8 billion, or 5.6 percent of GDP.
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Editor: Michael Cole, Märten Hallismaa
