Ministry of Defence of Republic of Estonia : Minister of Defence concluded a defence cooperation agreement with the United States

Minister of Defence Margus Tsahkna and United States Ambassador to Estonia James Melville signed the defence cooperation agreement between the United States and Estonia, which will begin regulating the legal status of members of the U.S. armed forces, their family members and contractors in Estonia.

'The agreement is a part of the enhanced cooperation we are currently engaged in with the United States, helping to make sure that NATO's eastern border is secured and peace ensured in our region,' said Minister of Defence Margus Tsahkna, today, during the signing of the agreement at the Ministry of Defence. 'The agreement is of great symbolic significance, ensuring long-term defence cooperation between Estonia and the United States.'

United States Ambassador to Estonia James Melville said that the conclusion of the agreement was a major step towards strengthening cooperation. 'The agreement provides the legal framework and foundation for bilateral defense and security cooperation and enables a broad range of defense-related activities between us that will serve to enhance the U.S. - Estonia security partnership for years to come,' said the Ambassador.

The defence cooperation agreement regulates the status of U.S. armed forces, their dependants, and contractors stationed in Estonia, while also simplifying their activities here and increasing well-being by providing certain agreement based benefits.

The Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) complements the already existing agreement on the status of armed forces between NATO member states (NATO SOFA), and replaces the agreement on the use of land plots and structures belonging to the Defence Forces of Estonia, which was concluded with the United States in 2015.

The need for more precise regulation of the presence of Allies arose in connection with the presence of U.S. armed forces in Estonia, with the United States proposing in August 2016 that a defence cooperation agreement be concluded.

The Defence Cooperation Agreement must now be ratified by the Riigikogu.

Latvia and Lithuania will be concluding a similar agreement with the United States - the agreement was signed last week in Latvia and will be signed today in Lithuania.

Estonia has previously concluded bilateral armed forces status agreements with, for example, Kuwait and Germany.