Baltic-Polish Defence Initiative Seeks EU Funding Amid Rising Threats

NATO members Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland are collaborating on the Baltic Defence Line to fortify their borders with Russia and Belarus. These nations seek EU funding for bunkers and barriers in response to escalating security threats. Polish and Baltic ministers emphasize the project's importance to NATO's defence strategy.

NATO members Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland are rallying for European Union funding to establish a comprehensive network of bunkers, barriers, and military warehouses along their borders with Russia and Belarus. Estonian officials made the announcement on Saturday.

The Baltic countries initially unveiled the 'Baltic Defence Line' in January, with Poland introducing its 'Eastern Shield' project in May to fortify its boundaries with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus. Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur stressed that the initiative supports NATO's forward defence concept and is crucial for European security.

Meeting in Daugavpils, Latvia, the nations' defence ministers underscored the critical need for fortifications, citing increased external threats and lessons from Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine. Estonia plans to construct 600 bunkers starting in 2025, though officials predict potential delays due to building on private land. Coastal defences along the Baltic Sea are notably excluded from the initiative.

(With inputs from agencies.)