At present, all NATO forces stationed in the Baltic states and northern Poland are subordinate to the Multinational Corps Northeast joint headquarters located in Szczecin, Poland.

The Dutch-German troops (1GNC) will take over the command of Latvia and Estonia "in the middle of this year," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

1GNC is a headquarters that can command an international force of approximately 50,000 personnel. The tasks of the corps include, among other things, conducting exercises, preparing for defence, and, when necessary, carrying out defensive operations.

The discussions have taken place for several years, Estonian defense experts told ERR. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that a preliminary agreement had been reached, but not a timeframe.

"The decision of Germany and the Netherlands to take on the primary responsibility at army corps level in Estonia and Latvia directly strengthens our security," Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) was quoted as saying.

He added that Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, along with increasingly reckless activities near NATO's borders, has compelled the alliance to adjust its actions and military posture.

"We have close defence cooperation and years of shared experience with both those allied nations through exercises, air policing missions, and operations in the Baltic Sea. For the people of Estonia, this decision means a greater visible presence of our allies, and for the Defense Forces it means joint exercises that enhance our interoperability," he outlined.

As part of the preparations, Estonian Defense Forces personnel have been actively contributing to the work of the corps since last year, the ministry said.

The corps sits one level above the Estonian division within NATO's command structure. The division comprises two Estonian brigades and the United Kingdom-led NATO battlegroup, deployed together with France, within Estonia's 1st Infantry Brigade in Tapa.

The German-Dutch Corps has previously commanded several crisis-management and peacekeeping operations. The corps served in Afghanistan in 2003, 2009 and 2013 as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Between 2005 and 2024, the corps was on one-year readiness seven times as part of the NATO Response Force.

The German-Dutch Corps was established in 1995 and its headquarters is located in Münster, Germany. Command of the corps rotates between Germany and the Netherlands, and at present 16 NATO allies contribute to its structure. 

Pärnu presence?

Pevkur said in August 2025 that Estonia was awaiting a decision from NATO headquarters on whether to station a forward command post of the alliance's German-Dutch corps in Estonia.

The Ministry of Defense has allocated €17 million for the creation of the base for which the western city of Pärnu has been considered a suitable location.

"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," the minister said at the time.

On Wednesday, Dutch publication, the NL Times, reported that Dutch and German forces "will likely deploy dozens of troops" to Estonia to help set up a command center.

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