The prime ministers of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) countries announced that the group would cooperate with Ukraine on military expertise and training, information sharing, and the development of their defence industries and technology, ERR reports. Joining the summit meeting in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine was ready to supply drone technology, provide specialist training, and dispatch drone experts to the Baltic States and other countries, ERR reported.
During the summit, Latvia signed an agreement with Ukraine to boost Latvia’s air defence and promote joint drone production. Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said that Ukraine would provide Latvia with technological expertise, co-production opportunities, and specialist training. He said that Ukraine would send anti-drone experts and systems to Latvia, ERR and Postimees reported. Ukraine’s presidential office said that Latvia would help Ukraine in the development of drones, air defence, and missile defence.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics welcomed the agreement, emphasising that the deal would help develop Latvia’s air defence capabilities as quickly as possible, LSM reported. Rinkevics and Kulbergs both noted that using NATO jets to shoot down drones was not a long-term solution. Instead, Latvia should focus on developing its own air defence capabilities, they stated. To the point, Latvia is currently testing Latvian-made interceptor drones for use on the country’s eastern border, LSM reports.
Recent drone incidents have raised concerns among residents in Latvia’s east and have apparently scared off some foreign tourists, according to LSM and LETA. Rinkevics, as well as Estonian President Alar Karis, again warned that such drone incursions would inevitably reoccur, LSM and ERR reported. Speaking at the NB8 summit, Zelensky explained that Russia was deliberately redirecting Ukrainian drones to other countries in an effort to divide Europe and weaken support for Ukraine, LETA reported.
Also at the NB8 summit in Tallinn, Estonia signed a declaration of intent on enhanced security and defence cooperation with Ukraine, ERR reported. An Estonian government spokesperson said that negotiations were still ongoing on specific agreements and practical cooperation. Following his meeting with Zelensky, Karis urged Estonia to make use of Ukraine’s expertise, technology, and capabilities in anti-drone defence, ERR reported.
Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board has installed the first elements of fixed counter-drone detection and surveillance systems along three sections of the country’s border with Russia, ERR reported. The system is due to cover the entire border by the end of 2026. Interior Minister Igor Taro said that the plan was to build a nationwide drone-monitoring network. Estonia will finance the investments with co-funding from the EU.
Earlier, Lithuania signed an agreement with Ukraine on defence industry cooperation, particularly in the development of an integrated air and missile defence system, ELTA reported. Also, Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas announced that Ukrainian specialists would come to assess Lithuania’s air defence strategy, LRT reported. Moreover, Lithuania and Ukraine have launched a joint defence technology innovation programme, BRAVE Lithuania, for startups, researchers, and defence companies, BNS reported.
Lithuania is also considering acquiring a drone detection system from Israel’s Elbit Systems, according to BNS. Meanwhile, the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LGP) has formed a special drone unit, Autonomous Remote Unmanned Operations (ANBO), for offensive operations, LRT reports. LGP commander Raimundas Vaiksnoras said that the plan was for Lithuania to have drone strike capabilities to hit targets up to 200 kilometres inside enemy territory. In the meantime, LGP has already trained more than 1,000 drone operators.
