On October 17 in Brussels, on the sidelines of the NATO Defence Ministers' meeting, Estonia's Minister of Defence, Hanno Pevkur, and the UK’s Defence Secretary, John Healey, signed a bilateral Defence Roadmap. This agreement outlines the shared commitment of Estonia and the United Kingdom to strengthen the forward defence of Estonia and NATO’s Eastern Flank over the coming years.
The roadmap builds on NATO’s regional plans, with a key focus on the UK’s long-term commitment to assign its 4th Brigade as a reinforcement for Estonia. This brigade will be kept at high readiness in the UK and will be available to deploy to Estonia in times of crisis or conflict, according to Minister Pevkur.
Additionally, Estonia and the UK will collaborate on pre-positioning brigade stocks and equipment in Estonia to ensure swift mobilisation if needed. The UK will deploy advanced military assets to Estonia, including Archer self-propelled howitzers, Boxer and Ajax armoured personnel carriers, and Challenger 3 tanks.
The deployment of the 4th Brigade will be regularly practised through reinforcement exercises, including the large-scale exercise Hedgehog in 2025. Since 2017, the UK has also maintained a permanently stationed armoured battle group in Estonia, integrated into the 1st Infantry Brigade of the Estonian Defence Forces.
The UK further supports Estonia by providing officers, including a Deputy Commander, to the Estonian division’s headquarters and advising on deep fire capabilities. In return, Estonia will continue to provide host nation support, offering infrastructure and logistical assistance for UK troops deployed in the country.
