The Minister Calms Concerns - In Case of Emergency, the Transfer of EU Troops to the Baltics Will Not Take Months 0 9

The transfer of military units from European Union countries to our region will not take months, said Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds ("Progressives") on Wednesday evening during a broadcast on Latvian television. Referring to a resolution adopted earlier that same day by the European Parliament, he stated that the issue lies in the number of units and their relocation.

"It is obvious that obstacles exist, and this cannot be denied – administrative, financial, and infrastructural," said Spruds, noting that these need to be addressed and that work in this direction is already underway.

Spruds noted that this has already been practiced during exercises. "At the same time, NATO armed forces have alternative ways to ensure the quickest possible presence of troops in the Baltic states and in Latvia."

Members of the European Parliament supported a resolution calling for the removal of internal borders for the movement of troops and military equipment within the EU, as well as the modernization of railways and roads, tunnels, and bridges, reported Kristīne Liepiņa, spokesperson for the European Parliament in Latvia.

The authors of the resolution point out that Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine has once again drawn attention to military mobility and the urgent need to facilitate the rapid cross-border movement of troops, equipment, and supplies across Europe. They emphasize that military mobility is not only a key factor in overall European security and defense but also crucial for ensuring the security of the eastern flank, especially in the Baltic states and Poland.

The resolution also notes that despite progress in facilitating military mobility, significant administrative and financial obstacles remain, and infrastructure is still inadequate. This means that sometimes the movement of military equipment across EU borders can take more than a month.