Latvian Minister of Defence Raimonds Vejonis, Lithuanian Minister of Defence Juozas Olekas and Estonian Minister of Defence Sven Mikser inked the agreement during an informal meeting of EU defense ministers, which is taking place in Riga Wednesday and Thursday.
"The Baltic Combined Joint Staff Element is one of the steps we are taking to reinforce the security of the Baltic states and all NATO allies. This is only one of the jobs we have done together, and we still have a lot of work to do in the next coming years," said Vejonis.
The new structure is expected to significantly facilitate cooperation among the Baltic states' armed forces in emergency situations. The composition of the Baltic Combined Joint Staff Element will change depending on the character of the tasks at hand, and it will meet as necessary. The ministry's representatives noted that the allies had shown appreciation for the project.
