Pentagon Press Secretary Alyssa Farah provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper met Estonian Defense Minister Jüri Luik today at the Pentagon to strengthen defense cooperation and advance shared interests and priorities between the United States and Estonia.
Secretary Esper congratulated Estonia for the country’s host nation support to NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Center of Excellence, enhanced Forward Presence initiative, and for the two percent of gross domestic product spending Estonia commits every year.
The leaders discussed their mutual interest in the future of NATO and security concerns, including Russia and the immediate threat it poses to the Baltic States. They also addressed a broad range of defense issues, including the drawbacks associated with incorporating Chinese 5G technologies into the European telecom infrastructure, particularly in the Baltics.
The Secretary praised Estonia’s steadfast commitment to deterring Russian aggression, bolstering the NATO alliance, and advancing our shared interests. Both both leaders agreed they look forward to continuing to work together in the future.